


Idol Producer/Nine Percent/Qing Chun You Ni Drabbles

by lost_stickie_note



Category: NINE PERCENT (Band), 偶像练习生 | Idol Producer (TV), 青春有你 | Qing Chun You Ni
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Drabble Collection, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-23
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-05-27 06:32:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 38
Words: 19,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15018737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lost_stickie_note/pseuds/lost_stickie_note
Summary: I wanted a place to post/gather any drabbles for any of the IP/9% boys that I happen to come up with. I am attempting to keep every drabble under 500 words, and they will mostly be fluff. Tags will be added as chapters are updated.UPDATED WITH CHAPTERS 29 - 37. Author's Note for Ch. 38 + updates, please read before requesting. Requests open again!Please consider joining You Zhangjing's Fic Fest 'Grapefruit Juice'. We can be found on Twitter:@GrapefruitFF





	1. Sticky Notes

**Author's Note:**

> First drabble! Wanted to get my thoughts down before they fly out of my head. Hopefully everyone enjoys.
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

Xukun couldn't stand it sometimes.

 

They were stuck over every inch of their apartment. The bunches of little colored paper in various shapes--speech-bubbles, clouds, rectangles, circles, thought bubbles--covered the walls of their living room, fridge, and the hallway leading to their rooms. His roommate had insisted that they were useful reminders instead of an outdated method to keep track of his scatter-brained thoughts.  _Why can't he just keep all these reminders on his phone?_ But the other boy had scowled at him when he suggested it, and Xukun didn't have the heart or the energy to argue over something so silly. 

 

He peered at the writing on one of the bright pink post-it notes stuck to the fridge. "Xukun, remember to pack your lunch for today!"

 

The other boy had gotten in the habit of posting reminders for him too. And half the time Xukun felt silly for being babied. He was unwilling to admit that the reminders had saved his skin a few times. There had been that green thought bubble stuck to the door of their bathroom reminding him to pick up more toilet paper on his way back. Or the yellow smiley face stuck to the fridge prompting him to print out his essay. But still, he couldn't help but sigh at the amount of sticky notes labeling seemingly obvious things. 

 

_He is so OCD._

 

His friend Ziyi had been highly amused the first time he visited Xukun's apartment.  _Why are there so many notes stuck to the walls?_ He didn't have an answer for his friend, didn't have an explanation for the explosion of bright colors that accosted the eyes immediately upon entering. Gradually though, he had gotten used to it. 

 

Xukun wasn't sure when the notes had become less of a nuisance and more of endearing reminder, a thoughtfulness that emanated from the other boy. 

 

He absentmindedly flipped open his textbook to the page he had bookmarked last night with a borrowed sticky note. To his surprise, there was a note stuck to the page on the right.

 

A blue heart.

 

The writing was neat and orderly, just like his roommate. 

 

"Cai Xukun, would you go on a date with me? From, Zhu Zhengting."

 

Maybe sticky notes weren't so bad after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!


	2. Couple Rings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> Drabble Requests: If you comment the pairing you want and one key word for inspiration, I will write up a cute drabble for it. For example, "NongNong x Xukun, chocolate". Please keep comment requests on Chapter One so I can easily find them.

Xukun stared down at the two slightly imperfect rings in his palm. 

 

They had been dating almost a year now, and he had toyed with the idea for the past few weeks. He had finally gotten up the courage to go to the small shop a few streets over, one that specialized in metal-working. And after a few hours, a small cut, and lots of swearing, he had produced two rings. One for the each of them, engraved slightly sloppily on the inside with the date that they had started dating. 

 

He looked down at his watch. 

 

NongNong was running a bit late, per usual.

 

Xukun remembered their first date. NongNong had been late that day too, and the younger boy had run up to him, holding his schoolbooks over his head trying to ward off the rain. He had held his umbrella up a little higher to accommodate the taller boy. NongNong had looked at him gratefully, flashing him a boyish and earnest smile, his wet hair plastered to his forehead. And Xukun remembered thinking he was in love already.

 

He saw NongNong coming towards him in the distance, wearing a pink cap. Xukun had bought it for the younger boy a while ago. They had been hanging out all summer, and NongNong always complained about the sun getting in his eyes. And he would laugh and offer the younger boy his extra pair of sunglasses, which NongNong would refuse, claiming that he didn't like wearing sunglasses. But Xukun knew the truth. The younger boy hated borrowing things, hated feeling like he couldn't do things by himself. Oftentimes, he saw NongNong working hard by himself in the library, struggling over a concept and practicing over and over again until he could do the problems without thinking.

 

Xukun really admired how hard-working the younger boy was.

 

On impulse, he had seen the cap, and his first thought was that it was perfectly NongNong's style. 

 

The younger boy had been delighted to receive it for his birthday. And as he watched the other boy blow out the candles, he had made a wish too, that they would be able to stay together for a long time.

 

Xukun slipped his own ring on, his palms slightly sweaty.

 

Then NongNong was in front of him, eyes widened, and no words were needed.

 

The younger boy held out his hand for Xukun, and he marveled at how snugly the ring fit on NongNong's finger.  _Perfect fit._ And he was reminded of how well they fit together, how they just  _worked._ They were a circle, like these rings, one person starting where the other person ended, flowing seamlessly together.

 

He intertwined his fingers with NongNong's, tilting the younger boy's chin so that he could plant a soft kiss on NongNong's lips.

 

And it struck Xukun that this was it.

 

_Yes, this was love._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!


	3. Coffee Shop

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> Drabble Requests: If you comment the pairing you want and one key word for inspiration, I will write up a cute drabble for it. For example, "NongNong x Xukun, chocolate". Please keep comment requests on Chapter One so I can easily find them.

Yanjun was sitting in the corner reading his favorite book.

 

Suddenly, he felt scalding hot liquid in his lap, the smell of his vanilla latte spilling onto the table and then off of it. "I'm so so so sorry. I'll clean that up for you right away! Again, I'm so sorry."

 

And as he jumped up, he was about to yell at the server, but the words stalled in his throat. The poor boy was looking at him anxiously, expecting a scolding. "I'm so sorry. T-t-today's my first day, and I'm just more clumsy than I thought..."

 

Yanjun sighed inwardly and forced himself to smile a bit. "It's alright. Could you just get me a few napkins? And have them remake my latte?"

 

The dark-haired boy beamed at him, and he thought to himself how nice the boy's smile was. The waiter was cute and wearing black frames. Yanjun was a sucker for boys with glasses. The other boy came back with a fistful of napkins and handed them to Yanjun. "By the way, my name is NongNong."

 

He concentrated on wiping the coffee stain out of his pants.  _No such luck._ "My name is Yanjun."

 

"Don't you come here often, Yanjun?"

 

Yanjun looked at the boy in surprise. "Yeah, I do. Have you seen me before?"

 

NongNong nodded back at him. "I applied to work here part-time because I used to come and do homework here a lot." He paused. "I like this cafe, and I think I've seen you around a few times. You stick out because you're always carrying a book to read."

 

* * *

 

From then on, Yanjun made sure to greet NongNong whenever he went to the cafe. He genuinely enjoyed seeing the other boy, who always had a bright and cheerful smile on his face. Sometimes, he would peek over at the other boy and watch while NongNong worked. Over time, the younger boy became better at the job, managing to weave effortlessly between the tables like a lithe cat. He was happy when NongNong confided in him about his life, not minding the small interruptions to his reading.

 

NongNong came up to him today, sighing. "Did you want your vanilla latte again?"

 

Yanjun took note of the younger boy's expression. "Yeah. But is there something wrong?"

 

NongNong shook his head. "No, it's nothing. I just want to ask someone out on a date but don't know how. My friends have been teasing me about it all week."

 

He smiled up at the younger boy. "You should just go for it. I'm sure anyone would be thrilled to date you."

 

NongNong grinned back at him. "You think so?"

 

"Definitely."

 

Yanjun went back to reading his book, and he almost didn't notice NongNong come back with his latte.

 

The writing on his napkin caught his eye.

 

_Will you go on a date with me?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!


	4. Doorstep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> Drabble Requests: If you comment the pairing you want and one key word for inspiration, I will write up a cute drabble for it. For example, "NongNong x Xukun, chocolate". Please keep comment requests on Chapter One so I can easily find them.
> 
> Shameless plug for my ongoing Zhangjun fanfic, "I Will, Always".

It felt like their whole relationship took place on the doorstep of Zhengting's house.

 

He had waited nervously outside that first date of theirs.

 

Zhengting was the top student in their class, the teacher's pet, and Xingjie didn't know that the other boy knew he existed. But Zhengting had smiled kindly at him when he dropped his notebook on the ground one day, and all the pieces of paper contained within became scattered all over the ground. His heart had fluttered as Zhengting's hand had brushed his while helping him pick up the mess. It was months later before he gathered up the courage to ask Zhengting on a date.

 

"What took you so long?" The other boy had said, a smile on his face. 

 

He still remembered how Zhengting looked on their first date, with his deep maroon shirt and sparkling eyes. 

 

Then there was their first kiss.

 

Xingjie had felt the butterflies in his stomach as he kissed the other boy, his fingers resting lightly on Zhengting's cheek. And their kiss had tasted like candy and had felt like forever. And he marveled at just how soft Zhengting's lips were, pressed against his chapped ones. When they had finally broken apart, Zhengting had slipped back into his house, his whispered good night still lingering in the air. 

 

He had stood on Zhengting's doorstep in the dark, too stunned to move after the other boy left.

 

And there was the time he had fucked up.

 

Xingjie had been too afraid to move forward but also too afraid to leave as Zhengting hurled insults at him through the tears streaming down his face. And he had felt such strong remorse, that all he wanted to do was take the other boy into his arms and tell him it would be alright. But he had stayed still, letting the other boy unleash his wrath. The whole ordeal had ended when Zhengting slammed the door shut in his face. And Xingjie had wondered whether or not it meant their relationship was closed off too. 

 

He had shown up the day after to apologize, persisting until Zhengting finally opened the door and forgave him.

 

There had been other sad moments as well. He still couldn't forget the image of Zhengting standing forlornly, framed by the doorway, dressed in all black. The other boy had collapsed into his arms, too exhausted to keep going, to keep smiling for everyone else. And he had let Zhengting cry out all the tears, stroking the small of his back to comfort the other boy.

 

But now, he was determined to make today a happy moment, one that Zhengting would never forget. 

 

Xingjie cleared his throat, getting ready to speak as the other boy opened the door. 

 

And Zhengting began shrieking as soon as he bent down on one knee, holding out the ring, sparkling with the promise of their future.

 

"Zhu Zhengting, will you marry me?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to check out my other works. :)
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!


	5. Photographs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> Drabble Requests: If you comment the pairing you want and one key word for inspiration, I will write up a cute drabble for it. For example, "NongNong x Xukun, chocolate". Please keep comment requests on Chapter One so I can easily find them.
> 
> Plugging my Zhangjun fic "I Will, Always".

NongNong couldn't help but be in awe.

 

He had shown up to work today, expecting another diva-in-training. His staff had told him that a new model was coming today for the photoshoot, one that had been recently rising in popularity. NongNong had worked with a bunch of upcoming models, and inevitably, the sharp rise to fame always went straight to their heads. So he had expected today to be a not-so-great day. But the model had surprised him, not seeming arrogant at all. In fact, he had tried to break the ice by telling NongNong a joke. NongNong had at least appreciated the effort even though the joke was clearly not funny at all. 

 

_Lin Yanjun._

 

The model had introduced himself and immediately asked whether NongNong had any specific requests or instructions. He liked that. So many other models thought they were so good that they didn't care about getting the details of his artistic direction. They expected NongNong to cater to them instead. 

 

"Can you turn to the right?"

 

Yanjun complied, and NongNong went back to looking at him through the lens. Even in the small frame that he visualized, NongNong could tell that the model was visually flawless. Yanjun turned his head, and NongNong marveled at how it seemed like the model was looking right at him, no, right through him. And then Yanjun's mouth curved into a slight smirk.  _He knows he's attractive._ NongNong shook his head to clear it and continued to concentrate on finishing the pictorial photographs. 

 

He couldn't help but blush when the other man's fingers brushed over his as they were checking the picture quality on the monitor. No previous model he had worked with had this effect on him.  _I'm an award-winning photographer, damnit._ Yanjun's voice brought him out of his thoughts. "Sorry, what did you say?"

 

The model pointed at the screen and repeated himself. "I wanted to know whether you think this one is good."

 

NongNong studied the photo that Yanjun had pointed to. It had managed to capture most of the other boy's beauty, his sharp jaw from the side, the slight indents of his deep dimples, and the lines of his cheekbones leading up to his dark, seductive eyes framed by strong eyebrows. He glanced sideways at the model and back towards the screen. Even with a nearly perfect photo, he still felt there was something missing. 

 

"Let's take a few more." He finally decided, mouth set into a frown.

 

Reviewing the retakes, NongNong felt his breath catch in his throat.

 

_That one._

 

The picture in question depicted everything about Yanjun.

 

And NongNong realized what had been missing from the previous photographs.

 

He looked at Yanjun and noticed the brightness and liveliness of his eyes, giving him more depth than the initial icy cold, arrogant stare that NongNong had imagined the model would have. And he had never been more glad of being wrong. 

 

_This photo is truly a masterpiece._

 

_No, Lin Yanjun is._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!


	6. Strawberry Milk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> Drabble Requests: If you comment the pairing you want and one key word for inspiration, I will write up a cute drabble for it. For example, "NongNong x Xukun, chocolate". Please keep comment requests on Chapter One so I can easily find them.
> 
> Plugging my Zhangjun fic "I Will, Always".

Xukun couldn't stop the smile on his face.

 

NongNong had looked so down after running out of his favorite strawberry milk in the morning that Xukun had decided to pick some up for him after he finished his schedules for the day. Xukun had found the younger boy in a practice room when he returned. NongNong was still having difficulty picking up all the dance steps and formations for their songs, and Xukun couldn't help but notice the extra hours of effort he had been putting in long after everyone finished.

 

The younger boy broke out into a huge smile when he saw the treat Xukun was holding for him.

 

He had been spotted by a gaggle of fangirls as he was in the store and had to spend some time taking pictures with them. But it was definitely worth going out of his way to run to the only store in the area that stocked the brand NongNong liked.

 

_That smile._

 

NongNong's hand waving in front of his face snapped him out of his reverie. "Do you want some KunKun?"

 

He loved it when the younger boy called him that. 

 

Xukun accepted the bottle of milk, his first time trying the other boy's favorite drink. He was surprised at its taste. It was sweet, but not overly sweet, with a slight strawberry taste that reminded him of summer. And it evoked the image of him running through the park that was around the corner from his childhood home, carefree and happy. And he remembered his first kiss. After eating lollipops all afternoon, the kiss had been slightly sticky and sweet. 

 

It tasted like his first love.

 

But now the taste would be forever associated with NongNong.

 

He laughed as he saw the other boy gulping down the drink as if he was afraid it would disappear from his hands. "NongNong, you can go slower. I bought plenty for you, like enough for the next week. I put the rest in the fridge downstairs."

 

NongNong paused his drinking to respond.

 

_You're so damn cute._

 

The other boy had drunk too quickly, leaving traces of the milk on his lips. Xukun used his thumb to wipe at NongNong's bottom lip, making the other boy's mouth upturn at the corners in surprise. NongNong's lips felt soft under the pad of this thumb, and Xukun wondered if they'd also feel soft against his lips. The younger boy had a slightly dumbfounded look on his face, and Xukun marveled at the feeling of love he felt welling up inside of him.

 

"Can I kiss you?"

 

And now all Xukun could taste was the strawberry milk.

 

Just completely and utterly NongNong.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!


	7. Make-up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> I really enjoyed writing this one, one of my favorite scenes so far along with Doorstep (Chapter 4). :) Whoever requested, I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Drabble Requests: If you comment the pairing you want and one key word for inspiration, I will write up a cute drabble for it. For example, "NongNong x Xukun, chocolate". Please keep comment requests on Chapter One so I can easily find them.
> 
> Also, I don't know if this was clear or not but feel free to request more than once. There's no limit, just wait until your previous request was fulfilled before making another one. Thanks! :)
> 
> Shameless plug for my ongoing Zhangjun fanfic, "I Will, Always".

Zhengting was always the responsible one. 

 

They had come back after a long day, and he could see the tiredness written all over everyone's face. Minghao, ChengCheng, and Xiao Gui had all lost their usual unlimited energy, and Zhangjing and Yanjun had fallen asleep on each other's shoulders on the bus ride back. Even Ziyi, who normally looked unfazed by anything, was slightly unfocused. Zhengting himself was feeling exhausted, but he took it upon himself to take charge of the group.

 

"Okay, it's late now, so everyone should get ready for bed. Go wash up and make sure to take off all your stage make-up and do a face mask before bed."

 

Zhengting swore by his facemasks, and he had been trying to get the whole group into the habit of using them. 

 

Xukun was looking at him questioningly. "Yes, Xukun?"

 

The younger boy confessed. "I think I ran out of make-up remover." He paused to think. "And facemasks actually."

 

He sighed.

 

Zhengting hated being responsible. 

 

"That's okay. I have a bunch of extra. Just come up to my room, and I'll let you borrow some."

 

Xukun followed him up the stairs to his room. But when he turned around, he realized the boy was practically half-asleep already, his eyes half-closed, his feet dragging on the ground. Reluctantly, Zhengting motioned for the younger boy to sit on his bed. "Xukun, just wait a moment."

 

He grabbed his small circular make-up remover pads, and the younger boy closed his eyes obediently. Zhengting began to wipe off the other boy's stage make-up. Some of it was adhering to Xukun's skin stubbornly, and he regretted rubbing so hard when he saw the other boy wince. For some reason, the make-up jiejies always liked to lay it on thick for Xukun, and recently Zhengting thought it was too much. The excess make-up dwarfed Xukun, changed him into someone that was entirely different from the slightly shy and introspective boy he had befriended in their dorms. 

 

As the color began coming off Xukun's face, the boy he knew started to appear in front of him. Xukun blinked sleepily, letting out a big yawn, and the moment of vulnerability tugged at Zhengting's heartstrings. The other boy looked much younger without all the extra stuff, and Zhengting felt the urge to protect him. Xukun's eyes fluttered open after he had finished wiping off the area, staring at him with eyes full of gratitude, and Zhengting felt his heart skip. 

 

No, Xukun didn't need all the make-up. 

 

He was already perfect without it, naturally handsome and cute all rolled into one package.

 

And Zhengting found himself thinking that maybe it wasn't so bad being responsible for Xukun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to check out my other works. :)
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!


	8. Childhood Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> This was so fluffy to write. :o
> 
> Drabble Requests: If you comment the pairing you want and one key word for inspiration, I will write up a cute drabble for it. For example, "NongNong x Xukun, chocolate". Please keep comment requests on Chapter One so I can easily find them.
> 
> Shameless plug for my ongoing Zhangjun fanfic, "I Will, Always".

NongNong remembered the first time they had met.

 

He had been riding his bike past the park when he noticed there were three boys standing over one boy on the ground. He had slowed down to look, curious about what was going on, and completely forgetting about getting back home. It looked like the boy on the ground was in tears, and NongNong didn't know what to do.  _Should I help him?_ He had never seen someone being bullied, but his parents had described to him what it was. The whole conversation had been confusing, and at the time, he couldn't wrap his mind around it as a 7 year old. 

 

But now, he understood.

 

After hesitating for a second, he rushed in, dropping his bike on the ground, and screaming bloody murder. He mustered up the most authoritative tone he could. "Leave him alone or I'll tell on you and get all of you in trouble with your parents!"

 

The boys had all scattered, and NongNong helped the crying boy up, who introduced himself as Xukun.

 

"But you can call me KunKun. That's what all my friends call me." The other boy said shyly. 

 

And Xukun had looked at him happily. "Thank you for being my superhero."

 

NongNong had felt so proud of himself until he got back home and was scolded for being late. 

 

The next day, he had gone back to the park, finding the other boy still playing there on the swings. And he demanded an apology from Xukun for making him late for dinner. The other boy had looked so sorry that NongNong forgave him almost immediately. They had spent the rest of the afternoon on the swings next to each other, competing at who could go higher.

 

They had been inseparable since. 

 

Xukun had been with him through thick and thin. He had cried on the other boy's shoulder the time he found out his parents might want a divorce and had hid away at Xukun's house whenever his parents started to argue. The older boy had been there for him when he had tried confessing to his first love and had gotten rejected. He had felt completely humiliated, but Xukun sat with him until he ran out of tears. And likewise, he had been there for Xukun too. NongNong still remembered the day the other boy found out he had been rejected from his top choice of school. And he sat there patting Xukun's back, who was stony-faced but too proud to cry.

 

But then they had ended up at the same school, and NongNong felt it was fate.

 

And he couldn't stop the fondness from gracing his face as he caught the other's eye from across the stage. 

 

He grabbed Xukun's hand when he reached him.

 

They were childhood friends, and today, it seemed like nothing had changed.

 

NongNong was happy to be graduating next to Xukun, to be walking into the future with his friend still by his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to check out my other works. :)
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!


	9. Pet Names

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> I think this one might be my favorite one so far, haha. :) Hope whoever requested likes it!
> 
> Drabble Requests: If you comment the pairing you want and one key word for inspiration, I will write up a cute drabble for it. For example, "NongNong x Xukun, chocolate". Please keep comment requests on Chapter One so I can easily find them.

Xukun wasn't sure whether he felt horrified or indignant. 

 

When Zhengting had repeatedly bugged him about giving him a pet name, he had finally relented, given in to his boyfriend. But he had entirely misunderstood, and now Xukun balked at the situation. His understanding was that Zhengting would give him an embarrassing pet name that would be used to tease him when they were alone. Not that the pet name would be used in front of other people.

 

Everyone else in the group was now staring at them. 

 

After all, Zhengting had literally called their leader "xiao bao bei" as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

 

And the older boy didn't seem fazed at all.

 

But Xukun could feel the flush starting at his neck and rising into his cheeks. 

 

Justin was the first to break the silence. "Uhhh, Zhengting, what did you just call Xukun?"

 

Zhengting looked at the younger boy and repeated it in a matter-of-fact tone. "Xiao bao bei."

 

Now it was ChengCheng's turn to pile on to Xukun's embarrassment. "Wait, but  _why_ exactly are you calling Xukun, xiao bao bei?"

 

The older boy stared at his Yuehua groupmate as if he was crazy. "Because he's my xiao bao bei."

 

_Omg, please make it stop._

 

But there was no stopping the train once it started moving.

 

Xiao Gui spoke up. "Is that supposed to be your pet name for Xukun? It sounds so unoriginal."

 

Zhengting instantly became defensive and started insisting. "I don't care if it sounds unoriginal. Xukun is my xiao bao bei, so I want to call him xiao bao bei."

 

_Someone please kill me now._

 

Through his embarrassment, he could see Yanjun straight up laughing at him.  _Of course he would._

 

"I think it's cute though." Zhangjing's obvious enthusiasm shone through. "I wish  _someone_ would give me a pet name." He said pointedly.

 

That shut down Yanjun's laughter really quick.

 

Ziyi looked at Zhengting calmly. "I think it's a great pet name. Not only can it be used in a variety of different situations without feeling awkward, it also sounds very endearing in general."

 

Xukun wanted to scream out loud.  _Wait, but THIS IS SUPER AWKWARD._

 

Zhengting gave a huff of annoyance. "At least Ziyi agrees with me because he has good taste. So everyone will just have to get used to me calling Xukun, xiao bao bei." He glared at the rest of the group. "And none of you are allowed to call him that. It's  _my_ pet name, and Xukun is  _my_ boyfriend." Zhengting scowled. "So everyone better remember that."

 

And suddenly, Xukun thought having a pet name wouldn't be the worst thing after all.

 

_Oh, who am I kidding? This is awful._

 

But he could never resist giving in to Zhengting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to check out my other works. :)
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!


	10. Full

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> I'm super sorry if this one is a mess. D: I was scatterbrained while writing it so I hope it's still okay-ish. I am in a bit of a tight schedule at the moment, so I apologize for the updates coming a bit slower on this fic. I have every intention of finishing all my requests though! :3
> 
> Drabble Requests: If you comment the pairing you want and one key word for inspiration, I will write up a cute drabble for it. For example, "NongNong x Xukun, chocolate". Please keep comment requests on Chapter One so I can easily find them.
> 
> Shameless plug for my ongoing Zhangjun fanfic, "I Will, Always".

Mingjun felt full whenever he was with Yanjun.

 

They had been paired off for their elective cooking class, having sat next to each other on the first day. They were tasked with baking a cake the first week, and neither of them had any idea how to begin. Even after following the recipe word for word, they still managed to end up with a less-than-desired result. Their cake had been overly dense, the feeling of being to thick to chew efficiently. He had been too polite to spit out his mouthful, but Yanjun hadn't. But the rule in cooking class was that all the food had to be finished by whoever the chefs were. 

 

So he had finished off the rest of the cake, knowing that Yanjun wouldn't take another bite. 

 

And Mingjun just knew that would be the pattern for the rest of the year.

 

The two of them were awful cooks, never seeming to get either the taste or texture right, no matter how well they followed the instructions. Sometimes it was too sweet, sometimes too salty. The worst was when their bread made from scratch ended up being as hard as a rock. Mingjun could barely bite into it but willingly ate the rest so that Yanjun didn't need to. He couldn't exactly explain why he did it. God knows, their food was terrible. But the other boy had looked so miserable that first day, so Mingjun didn't have the heart to ask him to help. 

 

They got through the whole year that way, and he felt like they became great friends. While cooking, they would talk about their dreams and the future. Yanjun had been greatly enjoying being in the choir and had started composing small snippets of music. Mingjun told the other boy about his dance team and their long grueling practices after school. And though their food never got any better, their relationship did.

 

Mingjun was watching Yanjun slurp up his ramen today. 

 

The other boy had suggested they go out for a self-congratulatory dinner, somehow managing to make it through the class without failing, together. And Mingjun felt strange eating actual tasty food next to Yanjun for the first time. 

 

Too late, he realized that it wasn't the food that had made him full, it was company with which he shared it. It was Yanjun laughing as he told the other boy how he embarrassingly fell asleep in his last class and gotten called out by the teacher. It was the way he rolled his eyes at Yanjun's jokes. It was the times they shared secret smiles and glances at each other while their teacher shuddered at how awful their cooking tasted.

 

Yanjun made him full, full of laughter, happiness, and just maybe, love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to check out my other works. :)
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!


	11. Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> I am super behind on all my drabble requests but will hopefully update a bit more frequently after my exam on Friday. :)
> 
> Drabble Requests: If you comment the pairing you want and one key word for inspiration, I will write up a cute drabble for it. For example, "NongNong x Xukun, chocolate". Please keep comment requests on Chapter One so I can easily find them.
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

It was like having three kids.

 

Yanjun was running around with ChengCheng and NongNong, chasing after them and making dinosaur noises. He was slightly amused watching his three precious babies. Yanjun was great with the kids, but in a way, he was still a giant kid himself. It was often Ziyi that had to keep the two little ones in line, and he had to be the one that said no to fun things, ice cream or candy at the supermarket. He still remembered the one time he let the kids go with Yanjun to the supermarket alone. They had somehow convinced him that it was a good idea to buy bags and bags of their favorite candy. Yanjun had handed him the receipt with a sheepish look on his face. 

 

_Never again._

 

But Yanjun was good at other things he was not. Last weekend, he had started to make their lunch while Yanjun helped the kids with their homework. NongNong had just started learning some English in class, responsible for pointing out simple words, such as dog, cat, tree, sky. He had sighed with exasperation after looking at ChengCheng's homework though. Yanjun insisted he had shown ChengCheng how to do it correctly, but Ziyi had to help the boy fix half the problems. 

 

They had learned to share all the responsibilities, often splitting their time parenting. NongNong preferred to seek out Yanjun when he was upset, needing to be placated with sweets and hugs. But ChengCheng liked to follow him instead, often tagging along on his errands and helping out around the house. He had been proud watching ChengCheng take care of his brother, always being mindful of NongNong's feelings.

 

_We raised them well._

 

Last month, they had gone on a road trip together, stopping to see the sights in a bunch of places. And his heart had swelled with pride when the kids had helped up an old man who had fallen. Both of them saw it happen and immediately went to offer assistance. ChengCheng with his serious expression and NongNong offering his cheerful guidance. The two of them were precious, and Yanjun and him had shared a smile, their hands interlocked. 

 

Yes, they were good kids. 

 

And Ziyi was grateful for Yanjun being by his side as ChengCheng and NongNong grew up. They were a team, partners that needed each other to work out all the problems and roadblocks that came up. They relied on each other for emotional support and day to day tasks, and it felt like they were growing up along with ChengCheng and NongNong too.

 

Most of all, Ziyi loved watching over the three of them from his corner park bench.

 

_His family._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to check out my other works. :)
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> CuriousCat: [Requests/Prompts/Random Chat](https://curiouscat.me/loststickienote)


	12. Insecure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> La~ This one ended up being over 500 words just because I couldn't fit it all. :) NongNong really is the sweetest sunshine, and he works so hard. Everyone should appreciate him!
> 
> Drabble Requests: If you comment the pairing you want and one key word for inspiration, I will write up a cute drabble for it. For example, "NongNong x Xukun, chocolate". Please keep comment requests on Chapter One so I can easily find them.
> 
> Shameless plug for my ongoing Zhangjun fanfic, "I Will, Always".
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)

NongNong scratched at the side of his neck nervously. The stylist jiejie had insisted on the choker, intent on matching the aura of the rest of his outfit, a sleek, all-black ensemble, with a slight touch of silver in some parts. The clothes made him somewhat insecure, not to mention the dance that was supposed to accompany it. He had balked immediately upon seeing the sexy body rolls in the choreography, but it was not as if he could change that. So he had spent a significant portion of time practicing the dance, going over and over again until he at least didn't feel like the most awkward person ever. 

 

They were finally doing a run through of the song, and he had chosen to practice by himself first to make sure he didn't mess up when they practiced as a group. He was concentrating so hard, immersed in the music, that he didn't notice the eight pairs of eyes that were trained on him.  _Oh, the body rolls._ He bit his bottom lip while concentrating, trying to push in all the feeling he had during his late nights in the practice room alone. They felt right this time, more natural, and NongNong breathed a sigh of relief.  _Maybe I won't look so out of place after all._ Dancing had never been his forte, but he was trying to work hard on the skill. When they were in L.A., it was clear that he was the slowest learner in the room. Everyone else had at least some dance training, and he felt despair trying to keep up.

 

He had gradually gotten better though and was extremely pleased by the end result. The teacher had congratulated him on his dancing becoming more smooth and fluid, and NongNong had been ecstatic that his hard work paid off. 

 

He finished the song and finally noticed everyone staring up at him from the ground below the stage. 

 

Yanjun let out a whistle, and Zhangjing was already clapping enthusiastically, breaking out into a cheer. And then the rest of the members started scrambling up on stage to get closer. "Omg NongNong, you went from cute to hot. My little one is growing up well." Zhengting fondly ruffled his hair, giving him light pinch on his cheek. "I really like the choker on you." And he could feel himself blushing as the older boy brushed his fingers over his neck to take a closer look. 

 

"You're not allowed to be this sexy, ge." Justin's mouth was wide-open in shock. "You're too young for this."

 

ChengCheng interrupted. "Stupid, you're even younger than he is." The other boy turned to grin at him. "Well, if people weren't thinking it before, they will definitely think you're manly now."

 

NongNong was touched by the praise. It was a goal he had from before, wanting his fans to see another side of him instead of just the cute one. "Yeah bro, you looked great up there performing, and your dancing looks really good now. I'm proud of you." Ziyi was staring at him, a faint look of admiration on his face. "I can tell you put a lot of effort in." And Xukun was nodding in agreement, a look of approval on his face. "You're really come a long way, NongNong." The other boy pat him on the back lightly.

 

Even Xiao Gui was looking impressed, giving him an appreciative peace sign. "NongNong, You're doing great!" And Zhangjing wrapped him up into a hug, with an amused Yanjun looking on. 

 

A lump formed in his throat at his friends all looking at him, giving encouragement and praise. 

 

Maybe he could finally stop feeling so insecure after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) (for updates on where fics are at + random writing/thoughts)  
> CuriousCat: [Requests/Prompts/Random Chat](https://curiouscat.me/loststickienote)


	13. Kids

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> They were so cute together on IP, and I can imagine them doing this. :) Hope whoever requested enjoys!
> 
> Plug for my long Zhangjun fic "I Will, Always" + other works.
> 
> Drabble Requests: If you comment the pairing you want and one key word for inspiration, I will write up a cute drabble for it. For example, "NongNong x Xukun, chocolate". Please keep comment requests on Chapter One so I can easily find them.
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) (for updates on where fics are at + random writing/thoughts)
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

They were both kids at heart.

 

Bu Fan didn't know when it started, but they were in the middle of a prank war. They were simple and silly pranks, meant only to grab the other person's attention, to amuse. Last week, Yue Yue had hidden all his socks in different trainee rooms, not even in their pairs still. So Bu Fan had to hunt around everyone's dorm, searching for each and every one of them. It had mildly amused him to see the widened eyes from some of the trainees that didn't know him well, wondering why this giant would be knocking at their door. But Yue Yue knew him well, knew the part of him that got upset thinking he failed his teammates or the childish glee that crossed his face when getting presents on his birthday.

 

And Bu Fan was thankful for that.

 

Today, he was getting back at his friend for the socks. And he put his finger to his mouth in a shushing motion, making sure the other trainees in the room were staying quiet as he snuck closer to the still-sleeping Yue Yue. He giggled to himself inwardly thinking of Yue Yue's sure-to-be-explosive reaction when waking up. He had borrowed make-up from Zhengting, intending on using as many colors as possible. It wasn't long before Yue Yue had half the rainbow splashed across his face. And now the other boy was starting to wake up, his eyelashes fluttering and a low groan of sleepiness escaping his mouth. 

 

Bu Fan ran out of the room just in the nick of time, and he was halfway down the hall before he could hear the sounds of Yue Yue's cursing echoing off the walls.

 

He was jumpy today, sure that Yue Yue was going to take his revenge. It had been a few days already, but Bu Fan hadn't experienced the other boy's counter-prank yet. He could feel it coming. The look that the other boy gave him when walking in for breakfast made him even more nervous. "Bu Fan, I want to show you something." He tensed as Yue Yue got closer, a wide smile on his face. "But you have to close your eyes first."

 

Bu Fan was wary now.  _Close my eyes? As if._ But Yue Yue was looking at him with a soft expression, the one he gave when he was proud of something Bu Fan had done. So he closed his eyes carefully.

 

A kiss pressed to his forehead. 

 

And it felt so nice that he let it linger, his eyes still closed. 

 

When he opened his eyes, Yue Yue was grinning at him. "That's all I wanted to give you."

 

It wasn't until later after many strange hollers and screams of delight at him from the other trainees that Bu Fan realized his friend had stuck a sign to his back.

 

"Belongs to Yue Yue."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) (for updates on where fics are at + random writing/thoughts)  
> CuriousCat: [Requests/Prompts/Random Chat](https://curiouscat.me/loststickienote)


	14. Gummy Worms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> I haven't really gotten much of a chance to write Justin as a main for anything, so I thought this was a nice opportunity to have his POV. The Yuehua kids make me soft. ♡ Sorry to whoever requested, since I changed it to gummy worms instead of jelly worms. :) I am just more used to them being called gummy worms. 
> 
> Drabble Requests: If you comment the pairing you want and one key word for inspiration, I will write up a cute drabble for it. For example, "NongNong x Xukun, chocolate". Please keep comment requests on Chapter One so I can easily find them.
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) (for updates on where fics are at + random writing/thoughts)
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

Zhengting always brought gummy worms back for him.

 

When he had first come to Yuehua to be a trainee, he had felt so alone. Yes, he wanted to chase his dream of standing on stage, of being a great rapper and dancer who would be able to perform for fans. But he was young and before had been a bit sheltered at home. The long hours of practice intimidated him, staring at an empty room that seemed to close in on him when he was there too long. But he had been smitten with Zhengting immediately, and his first impression of the older boy could only be defined as being graceful, dancing in the room by himself. Even after weeks, he had been too afraid to approach the older boy, worried that he would break the spell that Zhengting was casting. 

 

He apparently didn't need to interrupt though because the older boy caught a glimpse of him in the mirror one day, still standing in the doorway awkwardly. And Zhengting broke out out into the biggest smile Justin had ever seen anyone make. It was dazzling and bright, and it warmed him, made him feel like he could maybe belong here too. 

 

"Do you want to share my gummy worms? My mom gave me this gigantic box, and I can't finish it all by myself." The older boy was holding them out to him, a mix of different colors in the box, greens, blues, reds, yellows.

 

Justin looked at the other boy with wide eyes. "Are you sure?"

 

And his heart fluttered at the way Zhengting's hair fell into his eyes, tilting his head quizzically. "Of course or else I wouldn't have offered."

 

So he took a few. And then a few more. And then just a few more.

 

Justin was stuffing them into his face now, barely chewing before swallowing each bite. The candy was sweet, extraordinarily so. His embarrassment flushed his cheeks, wondering what the older boy thought of him pigging out on the candy, eating as if he hadn't had anything for days. But he couldn't stop. It was the first time since he had gotten to the company that he felt comfortable, felt happy. It tasted like acceptance. And Justin grew even more embarrassed as he realized he was starting to cry, cry from how nice Zhengting was being to him.

 

All he felt was the older boy's arms around him, and Zhengting was soothing him now, trying to get him to stop producing tears. 

 

So yes, after that, Justin ate the gummy worms that Zhengting brought him when he was sad. 

 

He ate them all, every single time. 

 

Because after all these years, Justin still didn't have the heart to tell the older boy he didn't really like gummy worms.

 

He just liked Zhengting. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> CuriousCat: [Requests/Prompts/Random Chat](https://curiouscat.me/loststickienote)


	15. Sick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> D'awww, these two are cute. I feel like we don't get to see them together much, and that should definitely change. I hope everyone likes this!
> 
> Drabble Requests: If you comment the pairing you want and one key word for inspiration, I will write up a cute drabble for it. For example, "NongNong x Xukun, chocolate". Please keep comment requests on Chapter One so I can easily find them.
> 
> Follow me on Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) for updates, randomness, etc. 
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

NongNong sneezed.

 

He had time playing basketball outside yesterday, and on the way back, it had started to rain. He had gotten back soaking wet, and Ziyi took one look at him and made him go take a hot shower instantly. All last night, he had insisted he was fine, not feeling any side effects from the rain at all. But when he woke up in the morning, he knew immediately that he was sick, the throbbing pain that shot through his head and the sneeze he felt coming on. Sure enough, Ziyi brought the thermometer over, and he let the older boy fuss over him. NongNong had a fever, and the attempt to get up out of bed was unsuccessful, the pain too much.

 

Ziyi had tucked him back into bed, silencing his protests with one look. "You're sick, and I don't want you moving from this bed until your fever goes down." His voice was firm and steady, resolute. So NongNong had gone back to sleep, trying to get comfortable in the bed that felt too hot and small. Now he was awake, and the sun had started to go down, casting a darkness into the room. A knock at the door. "Come in!" His voice came out in a croak, dry and parched from being asleep all day. 

 

The older boy slipped into the room quietly, always managing to move with purpose but fluidity at the same time. "How do you feel NongNong?"

 

And he can barely see the outline of Ziyi's face, but he can tell the other boy is wearing his usual calm and serene expression. "Okay, just a little tired still." And his sneeze comes out loudly, startling the older boy.

 

"I'm glad you're okay, but don't do that ever again." There was an uncharacteristic tightness in the older boy's voice, an underlying anger. "I was so worried about you all day. You kept tossing and turning in bed, and talking in your sleep. I was here watching over you..." His voice trailed off, and NongNong felt the regret rise up from within him.

 

He sounded contrite. "I'm sorry Ziyi-ge. I didn't mean to make anyone worry."

 

Ziyi's hand ruffled his hair lightly. "It's okay." The words come out in a long sigh. "I know you didn't mean it. I brought some soup for you."

 

And the older boy turned on the light beside his bed, casting a small glow over Ziyi's worried expression. "I'm really sorry."

 

Ziyi didn't say another word, just held out the spoonful of soup, indicating that he should eat. NongNong noticed the look of love the older boy gave him as Ziyi fed him. Once again, he felt sorry, and he promised to himself that he would never do anything to worry Ziyi again. The soup was comforting and warm, just like the older boy whose eyes were trained on his face, concentrating on spooning the soup into his mouth. 

 

Afterwards, NongNong snuggled back under the covers to fall asleep again, feeling Ziyi press a kiss to his forehead as he closed his eyes. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> CuriousCat: [Requests/Prompts/Random Chat](https://curiouscat.me/loststickienote)


	16. Diet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> I really liked this one. :) Nongkun makes me uwu. Enjoy! I've been getting swamped schedule-wise at work, so forgive me if updates start slowing down. T.T
> 
> Drabble Requests: If you comment the pairing you want and one key word for inspiration, I will write up a cute drabble for it. For example, "NongNong x Xukun, chocolate". Please keep comment requests on Chapter One so I can easily find them.
> 
> Follow me on Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) for updates, randomness, etc.
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

Dieting was difficult.

 

He had felt that he didn't need to be on a diet, but Ziyi and Zhengting, ever the health nuts, decided that their whole group needed to adjust their eating habits, cutting out sweets and decreasing the amount of carbs they consumed. _It was all their fault._ Justin and ChengCheng had a movie night yesterday, complete with three hours of sugary snacks and another subsequent three hours of bouncing off the walls from their sugar high. "I've had enough of this." Zhengting had declared.

 

And Xukun agreed with the decision and made clear as the leader that they were all going to start adhering to this new crazy food regimen. NongNong wouldn't have minded, but he always wanted sweets after practice, needing something to reward himself. So he had quietly hid away his secret stash, stuffed in the back of the top left drawer in the kitchen. He was the tallest in the group now and was one of the few people who was able to reach. 

 

NongNong was about to get his candy, standing on his tip-toes, when he heard footsteps approaching. He quickly ducked out of view behind the island counter-top in the middle of their kitchen. And he heard the sound of a drawer slowly being opened, barely making any noise. The sound faded, and he couldn't hear anything else. After a few moments, he stood up, thinking he was safe.

 

To his surprise, Xukun whipped his head around, looking at him guiltily like a deer caught in the headlights.

 

And NongNong realized why when he looked down to where Xukun was holding something.

 

 _Chocolate_.

 

The longest silence of his life stretched out between them. 

 

Until finally Xukun shook his head in fake despair. "You caught me, NongNong."

 

He sputtered, not knowing how to form words quite yet. "B-B-but you were the one...and then you said...so I thought..."

 

The older boy grinned at him, sheepish. "Yeah, well in theory I thought it was a good idea for all of us to be healthy, but I didn't realize how hard it would be to cut out sweets. Besides, I like to have some sugar after practicing for so long."

 

NongNong stared at him disbelievingly. "Then why did you agree in the first place? If you like sweets?"

 

Xukun rolled his eyes. "Did you see the way Zhengting was looking at all of us? Like the amount of disapproval in his face was scary. I thought he'd beat me up if I didn't agree. And who can ever say no to Ziyi? Arguing with him would only make me feel bad for disagreeing." He held up the chocolate. "It was much easier to just hide away the candy instead."

 

Suddenly, the whole situation seemed absurd, and NongNong felt the giggle rising up out of him. He wasn't able to keep it down, and after a few moments, Xukun started laughing too.

 

They stayed like that for a while, enjoying the feeling of sharing a secret.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> CuriousCat: [Requests/Prompts/Random Chat](https://curiouscat.me/loststickienote)


	17. Braids

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> I wasn't exactly sure where to go with this one, but I am fairly satisfied with how it came out. Enjoy! :)
> 
> Drabble Requests: I'm closing drabble requests for now so that I can have more time to catch-up on writing. D: I apologize for anyone who wanted to request, but I'll open them back up soon-ish hopefully.
> 
> Shameless plug for my ongoing Zhangjun fanfic, "I Will, Always".
> 
> Follow me on Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) for updates, randomness, etc.
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

He touched the other boy's hair, marveling at how soft and light it felt in his hands.

 

Zhou Rui jerked his head forward in surprise, his eyes widened as he turned to look back at him. "What are you doing?"

 

Xingjie couldn't think of anything to defend himself, so he responded truthfully. "Your hair is just so pretty that I wanted to touch it."

 

The other boy bit his bottom lip, indecisive. But then he seemed to make up his mind and replied softly. "That's fine, but you should have asked first."

 

He apologized profusely, and the other boy seemed to accept his regretful words. Zhou Rui turned around again and leaned back into younger boy, sitting in the space in front of Xingjie. And Xingjie began to run his fingers through the older boy's hair, enjoying the feeling. Zhou Rui hummed in contentment, almost startling him. The other boy used to be in his company, and they had even performed together for a while. Xingjie had been sad when Zhou Rui left, regretful that he hadn't spent more time getting to know the older boy. But being on Idol Producer together had given them a second chance to connect, and for that, Xingjie was grateful.

 

Once here, the older boy had adapted to a fairy concept quite easily, and Xingjie admired how Zhou Rui seemed to pull the image off effortlessly on stage. He had stared at the monitor in wonder as the older boy sang, his voice bright and clear, like a small bell echoing across a green meadow. 

 

Zhou Rui was ethereal.

 

Running his hands through the older boy's hair gave him a thought. "Zhou Rui, has anyone ever braided your hair?"

 

The other boy shook his head. "No, why?"

 

"I want to."

 

And after Zhou Rui's nod of consent, Xingjie began. Separating out the other boy's hair into three sections. And he began weaving the strands together, over and under, over and under, his fingers deftly pulling almost like a habit. The strands felt soft and silky in his hands, malleable to his touch. The movement from his hands made him feel calmer, quieting his nerves about their upcoming performance. And he wondered what it would be like if he could do this forever, repetitive and endless, in this bubble with only Zhou Rui.

 

Then the older boy began to sing, a soft melody that he had undoubtedly created himself. "After you left me, every single minute..."

 

Xingjie closed his eyes, letting the words wash over him, letting the older boy's voice soak into his mind like the calm after a light spring rain.

 

_This time I won't leave you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> CuriousCat: [Requests/Prompts/Random Chat](https://curiouscat.me/loststickienote)


	18. Cuddles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> Omg, sorry if this wasn't as cute as it should have been. I love these two though, and they seem to have such a genuine friendship and connection. ♡ I hope it's enjoyable though!
> 
> Drabble Requests: Behind on these still. If you request, just know it might take a bit of time. T.T
> 
> Shameless plug for my ongoing Zhangjun fanfic, "I Will, Always".
> 
> Follow me on Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) for updates, randomness, etc.
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

He was soft.

 

Everybody knew this and doted on him accordingly. He received hugs and sweet words all the time, and NongNong took comfort in that fact. He had been excited when meeting Yanjun, excited to have another boy from Taiwan around. And he thought they would be great friends, thought they would hit it off immediately. But Yanjun was hard, all sharp edges, piercing looks, and cold smiles. The first time he had tried to talk to the older boy, the words had gotten stuck in his throat, dying off as Yanjun stared at him patiently, waiting for him to say something. Yanjun's eyebrows had drawn together quizzically, the confusion evident on his face. "Okay then..." And he had walked away from NongNong. 

 

He kicked himself mentally over the whole interaction.

 

NongNong had tiptoed around the other boy, not willing to break their fragile cordial relationship in order to pry further into the older boy's life. They had quickly gotten used to each other's presence, being in the same room, but their relationship was just one of  _being_. They were both there but didn't quite exist to each other. And it nagged at NongNong, but he didn't know how to move beyond where they stood.

 

So it was with the utmost horror that he peeked up from underneath his covers where he had been crying when he heard the door open softly, and he found Yanjun standing in front of him. Embarrassment washed over him to be caught in such a private act. The older boy sat down on his bed, near where he had drawn up his legs to his chest, and stared at him with his probing gaze. "Do you want to talk about it?"

 

NongNong froze, but he couldn't stop the words from coming out, thick and heavy, his Taiwanese accent strongly apparent. "J-Just people are saying things." He knew the answer was vague, but the older boy was still looking at him sympathetically. "Here, lie down and scoot over."

 

He did as he was told, too worn out with tears and exhaustion to object. With a shock, he realized Yanjun had laid down next to him, wrapping him into a warm embrace, snuggling into his back from behind. And Yanjun stroked his hair as he cried, cried about the unfairness of it all. "Shhh, it's going to be okay." And the words only made NongNong cry harder, the soothing whispers from Yanjun in Taiwanese. They stayed cuddled close together for a while, and NongNong could feel the stress and anxiety slipping away. 

 

Yanjun felt like home.

 

And for the first time, he realized that the older boy wasn't just what he seemed on the outside.

 

Yanjun was soft, just like him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> CuriousCat: [Requests/Prompts/Random Chat](https://curiouscat.me/loststickienote)


	19. Dogs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> La~ They really are an adorable pair. ♡ Enjoy!
> 
> Drabble Requests: Behind on these still. If you request, just know it might take a bit of time. T.T
> 
> Shameless plug for my other works on here.
> 
> Follow me on Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) for updates, randomness, etc.
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

Xukun saw how happy NongNong was the last time they had brought a dog on set. The younger boy had beamed with happiness, his smile wide, his eyes bright with excitement. It was a sight to behold because he knew the younger boy had been a bit down recently. So he had decided for NongNong's upcoming birthday that he would plan a huge surprise. "Yeah, can we make a reservation for tomorrow afternoon? It's a present for a friend." He patiently waited while the man on the other end of the line took down his payment information.

 

"You're all set for tomorrow!"

 

_Great._

 

He found NongNong in the practice rooms once he got back, and he couldn't help it - his voice came out in an excited, sing-song way. "Hey NongNong, I have a surprise for you tomorrow." The younger boy looked at him strangely, a bit weirded out. "Yeah? What is it?"

 

"You'll have to find out tomorrow." Xukun winked, thinking of how excited the younger boy would be. "Just make sure to be ready at 1pm, okay?"

 

Before NongNong could respond, Xukun turned and walked out of the room, still needing to get a few other things ready. He spent the rest of the afternoon shopping around for birthday items, picking up candles and a 'Happy Birthday' banner. The last effort of the day was to grab a cake for the younger boy. His eyes eagerly roamed over the selection in the bakery, finally settling on a cake decorated with strawberries and whipped cream on top. And the sales person carefully lettered 'Happy Birthday NongNong!' on the top for him. 

 

Though they hadn't discussed it as a group yet, Xukun presumed they would do some form of group celebration for NongNong, but he was determined to make this birthday extra special, their first since starting to date. So he had planned this separate outing for them alone. Just thinking of how pleased the younger boy would be brought a smile to his face. 

 

The next day, Xukun grabbed NongNong, bringing him to the surprise. And the younger boy grumbled the whole way, saying that he still needed to practice. "We have to do this." He insisted. "I promise you'll love it."

 

NongNong's face lit up the instant they opened the door to the pet cafe. Immediately, he was surrounded by a swarm of puppies, each of them fighting to get his attention. The younger boy squealed with delight, and Xukun felt the smile spreading across his own face. NongNong's laughter was bright and happy as he began picking the puppies up, nuzzling his nose into theirs. Finally, the younger boy turned towards him after he was finished being distracted. "I absolutely love this! Are we going to get a puppy? Is that why you brought me here?"

 

Xukun grinned at him. "No, I brought you here for your birthday surprise!"

 

And now the younger boy was looking at him in disbelief. "Wait, KunKun, you do know that my birthday is next month right?"

 

_Damnit._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> CuriousCat: [Requests/Prompts/Random Chat](https://curiouscat.me/loststickienote)


	20. Time Travel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled Request.
> 
> I am a mess today. Sorry for any mistakes. I love the youngest trio, and they need more interactions together. ♡
> 
> Drabble Requests: Behind on these still. If you request, just know it might take a bit of time. T.T
> 
> Shameless plug for my ongoing Zhangjun fanfic, "I Will, Always" + other works.
> 
> Random, but I decided to make a Caard to consolidate everything after seeing how clean-cut it looked. So stuff will be here from now on, Caard: [loststickienote](https://loststickienote.carrd.co/)
> 
> Follow me on Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) for updates, randomness, etc.
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

"What would you do if you could travel back in time?"

 

NongNong was staring up at the sky, lying in the patch of grass as they took a break from practice. Justin and ChengCheng were with him, the three of them the only ones who felt like venturing outside of the building. It was a clear day with only a few clouds drifting across the wide expanse of blue. The grass was prickly on his back, but it was a welcome change from the hard floor of their practice rooms.

 

"Maybe I would have chosen to not be in the entertainment business." ChengCheng's voice floated to him from his right. "No matter how hard I work, it seems like everyone just wants to connect me back to my sister."

 

He listened hard to catch the next words. "I don't know. Sometimes I think it's hard to be recognized just for being  _me_."

 

Justin piped up. "Well, none of us think of you like that. It'll just take some time."

 

ChengCheng sighed. "I guess that's true."

 

NongNong reached out to his right, finding the other boy's hand in the grass, and squeezed it reassuringly. "I'm sure it'll happen." He felt ChengCheng squeeze back lightly. "Thanks NongNong."

 

"I think maybe I'd want to start doing all this stuff later than I did." Justin admitted. "Sometimes I feel like I didn't get a lot of time to do other things other than becoming an idol. Maybe I could have explored a bunch of different things first."

 

He thought over the younger boy's words, wondering how difficult it must have been for the other boy at first. He was often surprised at how mature Justin was, seemingly a lot wiser than his years.  _No wonder why._ The other boy started so young that he grew up fast, faster than he should have. NongNong felt a strong urge to wrap the younger boy up in a hug, instead settling for grabbing Justin's hand. "How about you NongNong?"

 

He looked up at the sky, thinking while watching the clouds drift by, the occasional bird flitting into his view. "I'm not sure. I think I have some of the same questions as you two. I mean, what would I be doing if I decided that I wouldn't do music with my life?" NongNong paused, trying to ward off the lump that was forming in his throat. "If I could go back and choose whether I wanted to do it all again, I think I would."

 

"Because if I didn't, then I might not have met you two. We wouldn't be lying here together, and I don't think I would trade this for anything else."

 

Agreement rose up from the other two boys, and the gentle squeeze on both of his hands let him know that they weren't willing to let go either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> Caard: [loststickienote](https://loststickienote.carrd.co/)


	21. Basketball

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> Ahhhh, semi-based on the AU thought I had posted to Twitter and vice-versa. Whoever requested this, I love you because I've added the prompt to my list of long fics to write. ♡ If you'd like to know the plot, see [here](https://twitter.com/loststickienote/status/1023763344388435973). 
> 
> Drabble Requests: Behind on these still. If you request, just know it might take a bit of time. T.T Please drop any requests on Chapter 1 comments.
> 
> Shameless plug for my ongoing Zhangjun fanfic, "I Will, Always" + other works.
> 
> Follow me on Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) for updates, randomness, etc. DMs always open for talking about anything 9%/IP related. ^^
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

Xukun wiped the sweat from his forehead, irritated. They had been playing for a while now, with the sun beating down on the court, and he was starting to become just a bit frustrated. He glared at the source of his irritation, visible from all the way across the court. The tall boy was lounging around near the net, waiting for everyone to finish their water break, the basketball cradled under his arm. From here, he could see that the other boy barely had a hair out of place even after playing hard for the past two hours.

 

_Zhu Zhengting._

 

The captain of the basketball team of their rival school. 

 

Normally, Xukun would have had the courts to himself with his teammates, but something had gone wrong today. Zhengting and the rest of his private school friends had shown up to their court earlier, and the other boy suggested that they play a pick-up basketball game. Ever the competitor, Xukun had accepted. A few hours later and he was starting to regret his decision wholeheartedly. He never really realized how annoying it was to lose until now.

 

It wasn't just that they were losing, but Zhengting would celebrate each time he scored points.

 

And the other boy scored a lot of points.

 

Xukun sighed. 

 

"Okay, break over!" He re-directed his teammates back on to the court, motioning at Zhengting's team that they were ready.

 

And they started to play again, with his team quickly scoring a few possessions in a row after he managed to steal the ball away from the other team.  _Ha! Take that Zhengting._ He felt an immense amount of pleasure as he scored, eyes trained on the other boy who moved too slowly to stop him. But he was so absorbed in his small victory that he didn't hear the yell until too late. "Xukun!"

 

A blinding pain ripped through his head as the ball hit him directly in the face, and he felt himself falling backwards at the unexpected contact.  _Shit._ He braced himself for a hard impact that never came, a hand grabbing at his wrist instead. He blinked a few times to clear the spots from his vision, and Xukun realized that he was pressed up close against the other boy.  _Too close._ Zhengting peered down at him, a worried expression on his face. "Are you okay Xukun?"

 

He croaked out the only thing he could think of, his voice feeling a bit rusty. "I didn't know you knew my name."

 

Zhengting rolled his eyes. "Of course I know your name. Is it possible to  _not_ know the name of the star basketball player from your school's rival team?"

 

The other boy grinned at him. "Plus, you're super hot."

 

Xukun gaped at him, not sure how to respond to the compliment.

 

_Well, you're hot too._

 

"And we really only came here to play so that I could ask you out." Zhengting was laughing now. "But you've been sort of glaring at me every time I look over so I was too afraid to say anything before." The other boy continued. "So I guess it's my stroke of luck that the ball hit you in the face."

 

Zhengting winked at him. "Or we could say that it's your luck."

 

Xukun felt the blush forming across his cheeks.

 

"So, what do you say? Want to go grab something to eat with me after this? Like a date?" Zhengting added. "After we get cleaned off and everything, I mean."

 

He finally found the words he wanted. "You talk too much."

 

Xukun paused and smiled brightly back. "But yeah, I'd like that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> Caard: [loststickienote](https://loststickienote.carrd.co/)


	22. Breakfast

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> Ugh, this came out too cute. D: I love fluff though, and I couldn't resist throwing in a bit of humor. 
> 
> Drabble Requests: Behind on these still. If you request, just know it might take a bit of time. T.T Leave requests for me on Chapter 1. 
> 
> Shameless plug for my ongoing Zhangjun fanfic, "I Will, Always" + other works.
> 
> Follow me on Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) for updates, randomness, etc. DMs always open for talking about anything 9%/IP related. ^^
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

Wenjun woke up to the smell of something burning.

 

At first he thought it was his imagination, a figment of his dreams, but as he woke up groggily, the smell didn't go away and with a shock, he realized that something was  _actually_ burning. He had never gotten up quicker, shooting out of bed and dashing out of the bedroom and towards the kitchen. With a sigh of relief, he noted the lack of an immediate fire or smoke.  _Thank god._ And he was so comforted by that small victory that it took him a second to realize the situation.

 

The kitchen looked like a war zone. A blanket of white covered the ground, and Wenjun could see the ripped open bag of flour that was balanced precariously on the edge of the counter, the flour still spilling on to the ground. Mixing bowls covered every inch of free counter space they had, all containing what looked like goop in various stages of being finished. And whatever had been contained in the mixing bowls most definitely had not _stayed_ completely in the bowls, with some coating the floor and...  _how did that even make it on to the wall up there?_

 

And his frazzled boyfriend was standing in the middle of the whole mess, an apron tied around his waist, flour in his hair. Ling Chao was furiously waving his hand over the pan he was holding, the source of the burning smell.

 

"Good morning." Wenjun said, amused, and he immediately regretted it as Ling Chao startled upon hearing his voice, almost dropping the frying pan he was holding.

 

"Woah, steady there." He crossed the kitchen in a few long strides, extracting the pan from his boyfriend's grasp. "Don't want to drop this."

 

And Ling Chao stares up at him with a slightly upset look on his face. "You weren't supposed to be awake yet."

 

"Uhhh, well, good thing I woke up before you burned the place down." He joked, eliciting a pout from the other boy.

 

Ling Chao looked at the burnt-to-a-crisp, whatever-it-was in the pan forlornly. "I was trying to make you breakfast because you had a bad day yesterday."

 

Wenjun chose his words carefully. "And I appreciate that you tried to make me..." He paused, hesitant. 

 

His boyfriend let out a long sigh. "It was supposed to be pancakes."

 

_Oh, that explains the goop everywhere._

 

"I thought it would be fine if I followed the recipe exactly, but yeah, apparently cooking is a lot harder than I thought."

 

Wenjun laughed as he wrapped Ling Chao into a backhug. "I thought we agreed that I am the one who cooks, and you can be the one that washes the dishes."

 

And he couldn't help but smile when he thought about the other boy putting forth so much effort to cheer him up as he cracked the eggs for their breakfast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> Caard: [loststickienote](https://loststickienote.carrd.co/)


	23. Whipped

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> Ahhhh, the challenge was so cute and gave us all so many fun updates so I just _had_ to incorporate that in there. And the challenge I'm talking about is where they all had to upload a self-written rap. :3
> 
> Drabble Requests: Behind on these still. If you request, just know it might take a bit of time. T.T
> 
> Shameless plug for my other works.
> 
> Follow me on Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) for updates, randomness, etc.
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

He was always surprised when it happened. 

 

On stage, the other boy was cool and fierce, spitting lines as if they were second nature to him, exhibiting a flow and lyrics that seemed to meld gently together to create a perfect verse. But the instant the performance stopped, he became a different person, mischievous and child-like, flying about the stage as if he had a boundless curiosity and energy to spare. And he couldn't deny that the nickname "Happy Virus" was apt, finding that a smile would automatically stretch across his face whenever he interacted with Xiao Gui. There was just something so endearing about seeing such drastically different sides to the other boy and still recognizing that it was all the little moments put together that made the other boy special. 

 

He had laughed the other day as Xiao Gui challenged all the members to create their own self-written rap. Xukun had quickly taken to the studio to finish off some of his other songs while mulling over what he wanted to include to impress the other boy. And the memory came to him vividly as he was consumed in his thoughts. He had been tinkering around with some lyrics, hoping to write a new rap part to include in his upcoming solo song. Xiao Gui had found him in the room alone, striding in by accident. Xukun had invited him to stay, and Xiao Gui had plopped down, quietly settling in to observe.

 

What had occurred over the next hour or two had changed everything for him.

 

After watching Xukun work for a while, the other boy had offered his help. Xukun had been fascinated by the way Xiao Gui's mind worked, able to join words, phrase, lines, and verses so effortlessly over the beat. Everything that he helped Xukun create seemed to blend into the music, becoming a true part of the song. They had exchanged other helpful rapping tips and tricks, as well as talked about their inspirations and ideas. Time didn't seem to exist, and it was hours later before they realized it was three in the morning, and they had an early group schedule the next day.

 

The other boy had given him a quick hug goodnight, flashed him a smile, and they both headed off to bed.

 

And Xukun knew he was whipped when he fell asleep to the image of Xiao Gui's smile, bright and warm.

 

He smiled softly to himself as he watched the video the other boy had uploaded. Xiao Gui had insisted that though he was the one to issue the challenge that he would also share a self-written rap too. And though the other boy had posted the rap was full of what he called _just_ casual sentences, Xukun couldn't help but feel touched by each line, a seed of happiness sprouting up in his chest as he thought about Xiao Gui. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> Caard: [loststickienote](https://loststickienote.carrd.co/)


	24. Sick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> Sorry for any typos, haha. :) I'm happy to be back writing these! Sorry that I've put this on hiatus for so long.
> 
> Drabble Requests: I am going to open drabble requests again after I hit Ch. 34. :)
> 
> BTW, for anyone who cares about Zhangjing, I will be modding a Zhangjing fic fest for his birthday, which will begin prompt submits sometime in between February/March. Just wanted to start mentioning it so that people would have it on their radar and we get lots of prompt ideas. ♡ When stuff gets moving, will include links somewhere for people to find. :)
> 
> Also, this is an aside, but I follow YG Treasure Box, and I would really appreciate it if anyone would drop a vote for my favorite lineup aka Jeongwoo/Haruto/Mashiho/Junkyu/Yedam/Hyunsuk/Yoonbin at the following vlive link: [Treasure Box voting](https://www.vlive.tv/events/YGTreasureBox/vote)
> 
> Shameless plug for my ongoing Zhangjun fanfic, "Every Cliche Ever".
> 
> Follow me on Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) for updates, randomness, etc.
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

ChengCheng was sick of it all.

 

All he wanted to do was hide away in his room, away from the questioning eyes and prying questions from the hordes of media that pretended to care about the truth but didn't really. The effort of putting on a brave face was starting to take a toll. And he couldn't help it, couldn't stop the overwhelming need to make his way to his room immediately after group activities to crawl under his covers and block out all the noise.

 

The first time NongNong came in, he sat in the corner at the desk quietly. ChengCheng almost didn't notice the other boy, only discovering the younger boy's presence when he peeked out after hearing a small sneeze. NongNong's back was to him, and the younger boy was reading fan letters, paying him no mind. ChengCheng wondered how long the other boy had been in the room for.

 

The second time, he had watched NongNong, careful to not let the younger boy see him, curious about why NongNong would be in a room other than his own.

 

He wasn't expecting NongNong to turn around, letting out a small eep! of surprise when the younger boy catches his gaze, throwing the covers back over his head. And ChengCheng listened to the sound of his own breathing fill the small space, hearing the sound of the other boy walking out of the room, his footsteps interrupted by the soft thud of the door closing behind him. He expected to feel relief after NongNong left, but all he felt was an odd emptiness instead. His heart practically jumped out of his chest when he heard NongNong's voice.

 

Soft, kind.

 

"Ge, you need to eat something."

 

And he felt the gentle probing of NongNong's hand over the covers, trying to find where his head was. "I brought some bao." A pause. "Your favorite."

 

ChengCheng didn't respond.

 

But suddenly, he felt left an indent in his blankets, the pressure of NongNong sitting down on his bed near his feet.

 

ChengCheng finally gave in, popping his head out to accept the bao, NongNong eating one silently next to him.

 

The third time, he didn't have the covers over his head, and he wordlessly lifted the covers up so that NongNong could climb into bed next to him. He fell into a dreamless sleep to the feeling of NongNong stroking the top of his head. It was the best sleep he had gotten in weeks. He woke up to the sight of NongNong's sleeping face, a few inches away, serene in his innocence.

 

The seventh time, ChengCheng felt like smiling back.

 

The tenth time, NongNong relayed to him a cheesy joke that Yanjun had told him the day before, and he surprised himself with the sound of his laughter.

 

ChengCheng lost count after that, but perhaps all that mattered was that NongNong made him feel like himself for the first time in months.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> CuriousCat: [@loststickienote](https://curiouscat.me/loststickienote)


	25. Rain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> It was nice to write some BuYue since I don't usually write them even though they're a good ship. :) Hopefully, I will write more in the future.
> 
> Drabble Requests: I am going to open drabble requests again after I hit Ch. 34. :)
> 
> BTW, for anyone who cares about Zhangjing, I will be modding a Zhangjing fic fest for his birthday, which will begin prompt submits sometime in between February/March. Just wanted to start mentioning it so that people would have it on their radar and we get lots of prompt ideas. ♡ When stuff gets moving, will include links somewhere for people to find. :)
> 
> Also, this is an aside, but I follow YG Treasure Box, and I would really appreciate it if anyone would drop a vote for my favorite lineup aka Jeongwoo/Haruto/Mashiho/Junkyu/Yedam/Hyunsuk/Yoonbin at the following vlive link: [Treasure Box voting](https://www.vlive.tv/events/YGTreasureBox/vote)
> 
> Shameless plug for my ongoing Zhangjun fanfic, "Every Cliche Ever".
> 
> Follow me on Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) for updates, randomness, etc.
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

The sound of rain pitter-pattering on the window makes YueYue groan with annoyance while sitting at his desk. As he looks up, he can see the sky darkening further, suddenly downcast and gloomy, clouds blocking the little bit of sun still left in the late afternoon. The scratching of pens fills the room, students busily writing down answers to the exam that he's also supposed to be taking. YueYue half-heartedly fills out the next few questions easily, bored of the class material. It didn't matter much anyway as he knows that he has a spot at university abroad, not needing to continue pursuing academic excellence during his last year. Instead, he spends the remainder of the period staring at the back of his best friend in class, Bu Fan.

 

Last week, he had told Bu Fan about his plans about leaving to which the other boy just nodded, a serious expression on his face. Bu Fan said he understood and had wished him luck quietly, uncharacteristically soft compared to his usually loud self. They had sat in silence for the remainder of the afternoon on that park bench, waiting until the sun set, watching as the colors lit up the sky. It was both their favorite time of day, sunset, a hovering between day and night, fully suspended in an in-between.

 

He gets up as the period ends, the shrill ringing of the bell making him wince as he passes his finished test forwards. Bu Fan is waiting for him at the door, shuffling from one foot to another impatiently as YueYue packs up his backpack. And the taller boy doesn't say a word as they begin walking towards the entrance to the school. Finally, Bu Fan speaks. "You're leaving the day after tomorrow?"

 

"Yeah."

 

The taller boy falls silent again, popping out an umbrella as they near the door, the rain coming down heavily. And they make their way home, Bu Fan holding the umbrella with one hand, pulling YueYue in closer so he won't get wet on the side. YueYue leans into his best friend, savoring the warmth that Bu Fan brings, a warmth that had accompanied him throughout his childhood up until the present.

 

They reach YueYue's house first, and Bu Fan gives him a long hug outside his door. "Keep this."

 

And before YueYue can say a word, he is looking at Bu Fan's dependable back again, the rain soaking his friend in an instant.

 

It isn't until he is shaking the umbrella off inside that he notices the white lettering on the red background.

 

"Good luck. We'll meet in the future, I'm sure."

\---

A smile crosses his face as he looks out the airplane window, the rain clearing and the sun making its way back.

 

The rainbow splits the sky, raindrops still hanging in the air, and YueYue imagines it's Bu Fan smiling back at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> CuriousCat: [@loststickienote](https://curiouscat.me/loststickienote)


	26. Forever

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> This one was cute to write. ♡ Sorry to whoever requested this, I'm so late on everything. D: I hope you like it though if you end up reading this!
> 
> Drabble Requests: If you comment the pairing you want and one key word for inspiration, I will write up a cute drabble for it. For example, "NongNong x Xukun, chocolate". Please keep comment requests on Chapter One so I can easily find them.
> 
> Follow me on Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) for updates, randomness, etc.
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

They were a forever kind of love.

 

Full of sweet things and beautiful memories. He remembered their first date being unexpected, the older boy casually asking him to dinner after practice one day, with him agreeing readily, never one to turn down a meal and the opportunity to spend time with Xukun. He spent a lot of time admiring the other boy from afar, impressed with Xukun's leadership skills and work ethic. Back then they had competed for the center spot, and he put in all his effort. In hindsight, he was happy about how everything worked out. Too bad he ended up embarrassing himself when Xukun dropped by to fetch him, his sweatpants and hoodie a sharp contrast to Xukun's nice button down and dark jeans. The thought that it was supposed to be a  _date_ had never crossed his mind, assuming that Xukun just wanted to grab something quick to eat.

 

When the realization dawned, he had apologized profusely and ended up needing to convince Xukun that he would be ecstatic to go on a date.

 

It was months later when Xukun confessed that he had found the whole exchange rather adorable.

 

His favorite holiday spent with the other boy was their second Christmas together. He hadn't expected to see Xukun at all, the two of them having schedules in different countries, and he remembered being upset when he had first found out the other boy would be halfway around the world on Christmas day. But Xukun had made it. Exactly 2 hours and 10 minutes before midnight, before the end of the day, showing up at his place with champagne and a present wrapped in metallic blue wrapping paper with glittery white snowflakes and a matching white bow. He still has the wrapping paper and the ribbon of the bow stashed away in the bottom drawer of his dresser. He didn't even care about the present. All that mattered to him was that Xukun had made it.

 

Yes, they had some great times.

 

Nongnong traces his thumb over the engraving on the inside of his gold band, the indented letters feeling cool to the touch.  _Forever yours, Xukun._ "Is it bothering you again?" Xukun chides, grabbing his hand to look at his ring finger. "I told you not to wear it all the time if it's chafing your skin." Nongnong feels his heart swell as he looks at the other boy who's staring at his hands with concern. "We can get it resized if needed."

 

"No, no. It's not bothering me." Nongnong slips his wedding band back on to his finger. "I just like seeing the words sometimes."

 

"How about hearing them instead?" Xukun declares. "I am, and always will be, forever yours, Nongnong."

 

Xukun sweeps him into a deep kiss, tasting of lazy mornings in bed, the sun streaming in through their bedroom window as they cuddle.

 

Nongnong is thankful that he's found his forever in Xukun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> CuriousCat: [@loststickienote](https://curiouscat.me/loststickienote)


	27. Hardships

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> Drabble Requests: If you comment the pairing you want and one key word for inspiration, I will write up a cute drabble for it. For example, "NongNong x Xukun, chocolate". Please keep comment requests on Chapter One so I can easily find them.
> 
> Follow me on Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) for updates, randomness, etc.
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

Sometimes it was hard to understand each other's hardships.

 

Not everything could be fixed, not everything could be easily talked about. And sometimes Nongnong felt at a loss of what to do when his boyfriend was huddled in their bed, curled up in a small ball, wracking sobs shaking his whole frame as Nongnong stroked his back for a long time until the other boy fell asleep. No, it was hard to imagine what it was like to be Chengcheng, to have the weight of the world on his shoulders, needing to hide and get away from everything and everyone. And maybe it wasn't the right time to fix it, whatever the problem was, and Nongnong didn't have the heart to push too hard, scared he'd just end up pushing the other boy away.

 

So he started their little tradition.

 

"What's this?" Chengcheng looks curiously at Nongnong as he places the two large jars on their kitchen table along with a pack of colored paper for folding paper stars.

 

"This is our happiness." Nongnong points to one jar after the other. "One for you and one for me."

 

Chengcheng raises an eyebrow. "Is this supposed to be some sort of analogy that I'm not understanding?"

 

Nongnong shakes his head. "Each time we think of something that the other person did that made us happy, we write it on a slip of paper, fold it into a star, and drop it into each other's jar. And so each time one of us is feeling down, we can take one out to remind us why we love each other."

 

And so it goes.

 

Nongnong stays up the first night, keeping guard over his sleeping boyfriend as he adds thirty stars to Chengcheng's jar. He doesn't say anything the next morning when his boyfriend's eyes widen with surprise when he sits down at their kitchen table. Or when Chengcheng sneaks two stars out of his jar as Nongnong makes breakfast, cooking eggs at their stove, unfolding them carefully and reading them underneath the table. Or when his boyfriend sniffs loudly and rubs his eyes as he's eating, muttering something about his allergies acting up.

 

_You don't have allergies._

 

But he smiles to himself when he sees ChengCheng smile.

 

The next day he has ten stars in his jar.

 

And so they keep adding, adding more stars to each other's lives, brightening each other's day when it feels like the darkness is closing in. It makes him remember, remember all the reasons he loves Chengcheng, remember all the small moments. Makes him happy each time he opens one and is reminded of everything that is good between them, everything that is  _right_. But best of all, Nongnong can see a physical reminder of how much his heart swells for his boyfriend every day, through thick and thin, the small stars overflowing the first jar, then the second, and the third, until their whole kitchen is filled with their love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> CuriousCat: [@loststickienote](https://curiouscat.me/loststickienote)


	28. Books

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled Request. -squeals- I really like how this one came out. Haha, I hope whoever asked for this likes it.
> 
> Drabble Requests: Behind on these still. If you request, just know it might take a bit of time. T.T
> 
> Shameless plug for my ongoing Zhangjun fanfic, "Every Cliche Ever".
> 
> Follow me on Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) for updates, randomness, etc.
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

The first time Ruibin meets the other boy, he is looking for a book for class in the library.

 

The librarian had been of no help, pointing him vaguely to the correct corner of the room, leaving him to browse titles up and down the shelves. If only their school's students managed to place all books back in their proper places after looking, but quite a few number of books were in disarray.

 

He stops in his tracks the instant he sees the shorter boy, the other boy's back to him, three books balanced neatly on his head, walking slowly away from him. There's another boy at the end of the aisle, whispering a narration of events, cheering him on. Ruibin quickly ducks into the next row, hoping that neither boy had seen him, his heart pounding out of nervousness, not wanting the other boys to think that he was eavesdropping. And he wonders if he should warn the two boys that the librarian was rather strict and would probably love to write them up for misconduct and demerits.

 

After another twenty minutes of searching, he can't avoid it any longer.  _My book must be in that aisle._ Ruibin makes his way back towards them, trying not to pay attention to the spectacle as he scans the books on the shelves, but the bright voice makes his head whip around immediately. "Are you looking for something?"

 

The shorter boy stares up at him expectantly, and Ruibin barely manages to stammer out a response. "Yeah, just a book for class."

 

"Oh, maybe we can be of help. What do you say Xingjie?" The other boy shakes his head. "Nah, I need to make it to practice. You two have fun."

 

"I'm Linkai by the way. But you can call me Xiao Gui."

 

"Ruibin." He pauses, the words taking a second to click fully. "Wait, Xiao Gui? Like little ghost?"

 

"Yeah." The other boy looks at him seriously, determination set in his face. "It's the name I use for rapping."

 

"Oh, I see. You rap?" Ruibin looks on curiously as Linkai starts helping him search through the books on the shelf.

 

"Yeah, I just got into it this year. We started a club actually, me and Xingjie." Linkai's face brightens. "You should join!"

 

Ruibin is a bit speechless. "...but I don't know how to rap."

 

"Oh, you don't have to." Linkai waves his hand carelessly. "We made the club description  _super_ vague, so if you're interested in music at all, I think you can join."

 

"...I can sing a little." The shorter boy practically jumps on him in excitement. "That's perfect! We've been trying to get more people to join and having another singer would be great."

 

They're nearing the end of the stack now, and Ruibin is losing hope of ever finding the book he needs. "I'm so glad I met you, and you should definitely come to our club meetings. They're usually after school on Wednesdays because Xingjie has practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays. God, I'm glad I came to the library today. Xingjie said it would be pointless, but..."

 

Linkai's voice gets more and more excited as he continues, and Ruibin cannot believe the amount of energy that can fit in such a small body.

 

"Stop being loud in the library!" Suddenly, the librarian appears at the end of the aisle, hands on her hips, a glare on her face. "And Linkai, detention and demerits for the second time this week." She turns towards him next, and his eyes widen in surprise. Before he can protest his non-involvement, she glares at him too. "And  _you_ , I don't know who you are, but detention and demerits for you too." The librarian looks critically at the books on ground, the ones Linkai had been trying to balance on his head. "And pick those up, Linkai.  _Now_."

 

"Sure thing." The other boy replies cheerfully.

 

Ruibin lets out a cry of surprise as Linkai picks up the three books on the ground, catching sight of the title on top. "Hey, that's the one I need."

 

"Oh this?" Linkai laughs, handing him the book. "Sorry, I didn't even think to check the books I was messing with."

 

He finally gets to leave the library a short while later, after Linkai had extracted a promise from him to be a club member. Ruibin smiles fondly to himself when he remembers the other boy's parting words to him. "I'll see you in detention tomorrow!"

 

Maybe he wouldn't mind having detention for the first time in his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> CuriousCat: [@loststickienote](https://curiouscat.me/loststickienote)


	29. Gym

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> ♡ Sorry I'm late!!!!
> 
> Shameless plug for my other works on here.
> 
> Follow me on Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) for updates, randomness, etc.
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

Ziyi had recently developed a hobby that Xukun hates. Hates with every fiber of his being, and nothing Ziyi says will ever make him change his mind. "This is dumb, Ziyi."

 

"No, it isn't. And you'll see when you finally let me drag you along so you can work out at the gym too."

 

Xukun whines at his boyfriend, who has already gotten dressed in appropriate gym clothing, slinging the drawstring bag over his shower and grabbing the water bottle from their bedside table. "It's 6 in the morning. Who gets up at this ungodly hour? And leaves the house?" He's still in bed, the covers pulled up for warmth, still groggy from being woken up  _far too early in the morning_ , trying to run his hand through his hair and tame it. "Your boyfriend does." Xukun grumbles again as Ziyi presses a goodbye kiss to his forehead, ruffling his hair.

 

"I'll see you a bit later."

 

"Fine."

 

Xukun squeals in protest when Ziyi comes back later and tries to give him a hug before showering, the sweat still clinging to his skin. But he figures that everyone has their faults so he's just going to have to accept Ziyi's. After all, there was that time when Ziyi decided that it was appropriate to have mountains of junk food at their apartment because  _someone_ didn't ever gain weight no matter how much he pigged out, and Xukun had survived that phase.  _This is no different._ He could wait this out by aggressive avoidance.

 

But no such luck.

 

Ziyi is insistent on bringing him to the gym the next week, refusing to leave the bedroom without him in the morning.

 

"Come on Xukun. You should come with. It's good for your health. I'm just being a good boyfriend."

 

Xukun groans. "Stop being the perfect boyfriend."

 

Ziyi doesn't flinch when Xukun throws the pillow at him haphazardly, missing the other boy's head by inches.

 

"You're coming."

 

"No, I'm not."

 

"Yes, you are."

 

"No, I'm not."

 

Xukun is decidedly  _not happy_ when he walks through the double doors to the gym. He feels like shit, looks like shit, and worse everyone there is a goddamn morning person like Ziyi is. The receptionist's voice feels two octaves too high for him. He glances around as Ziyi signs him in as a guest on his membership, taking in the sight, awkwardly trailing Ziyi to the bench press area.

 

"Here, Xukun. Watch me for now? Then I'll show you how to use the equipment."

 

Ziyi walks over to the weights and grabs some to slide on to either side of the bar. And then more. And more. Until Xukun swears that there is absolutely  _no way_ his boyfriend is going to be able to lift it. Let's just say, he is  _skeptical._ But Ziyi lies down and starts bench pressing the weight easily, the muscles on his arms bulging in a way that is starting to make Xukun think that maybe the gym isn't so bad after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> CuriousCat: [@loststickienote](https://curiouscat.me/loststickienote)


	30. Sunshine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> I love grumpy Xukun. ♡
> 
> Shameless plug for my other works on here.
> 
> Follow me on Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) for updates, randomness, etc.
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

Nongnong is the sunshine to Xukun's grumpy raincloud.

 

Literally.

 

Xukun looks over at his boyfriend who is in the middle of charming all the little children gathered around them. It was unfair. Xukun had been the one to suggest that they volunteer at the children's fair in the first place, each of the volunteers dressing up as a different weather phenomenon for this year's theme. When assigning roles in the morning, everyone had unanimously voted that NongNong should represent sunny weather, the younger boy wearing a spiky crown of yellow, face-painted yellow with rosy pink cheeks and dressed head to toe in bright colors. And somehow he had gotten stuck with being the raincloud, the crown made up of dyed gray cotton balls, the drab outfit a mix of blacks and greys, two yellow lightning strikes painted on his cheeks.

 

Needless to say, the children preferred sunshine.

 

He sighs, watching Nongnong smiling down at the group of kids, teaching them about the weather and basic environmental science. Even though it pains him to play the raincloud, he has to admit that his boyfriend is the perfect sun, his bright smile blinding with his eyes crinkling into cute half moons as he beams at the kids. And seeing Nongnong makes him start to smile too.

 

"You're supposed to be a sad, grumpy raincloud." The accusing little kid is pointing up at him. "Why are you smiling?"

 

Xukun does not have the patience to deal with this right now.

 

"Just because I'm a raincloud, doesn't mean I can't be happy."

 

"Yea-huh."

 

He can feel his blood boiling at the impudence, and he's about to snap when he hears Nongnong's voice.

 

"Well, the only reason Mr. Raincloud is grumpy is because he misses his friend Mr. Sunshine." Xukun can feel the anger draining away from his body as Nongnong links his arm through his own. "He just wants the sun to come out and play with him. And now that Mr. Sunshine is here, Mr. Raincloud can be happy too, just like Mr. Sunshine."

 

His boyfriend smiles at him sympathetically. "And without Mr. Raincloud, things like trees and flowers wouldn't have the rainwater that they need in order to grow or bloom in the spring. So how about we all give Mr. Raincloud a round of applause for the hard work he does." The children all clap enthusiastically as soon as Nongnong starts smiling at them.  _Goddamnit._ And Xukun can't help but feel his mood lifting as Nongnong drags him around for the rest of today, the kids ooh-ahh-ing at everything his boyfriend says, laughing at all of his jokes.

 

Maybe being a raincloud isn't so bad after all when Xukun has the sun to cheer him up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> CuriousCat: [@loststickienote](https://curiouscat.me/loststickienote)


	31. Hurt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> Idk, what I was thinking. This was supposed to be fluff. Is this fluff? I don't even know. Here, have all my apologies. ♡
> 
> Shameless plug for my other works on here~
> 
> Follow me on Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) for updates, randomness, etc.
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

Justin really hates being the youngest.

 

He is hurt by the revelation one day that the others don't tell him everything. Because maybe they don't think he can handle the bad news. But instead, he walks around on eggshells as the older members cast worried looks at each other secretly, never subtle enough for him to not notice. So he does the only thing he can, works harder so he can be better, prove that he is worthy in other ways. He tries not to care, but the anxiety eats him up on the inside, with the only thing driving it away being the thought of improving himself, long hours spent in the practice rooms till the early hours of the morning, accompanied only by his phone and water bottle.

 

Justin doesn't remember collapsing.

 

The first thing he sees when he wakes up is the crowd of worried faces surrounding his bed, Zhengting fiercely whispering something or another but immediately shutting up as he realizes that Justin is awake. "Minghao, are you okay?" Zhengting smooths the hair back from his forehead, stroking his head in a comforting motion.  _Oh no, Zhengting must be really upset._ The older boy only ever called him Minghao when he was either angry or worried.

 

"What happened?"

 

Xiao Gui jumps in, his voice a lot smaller than usual. "I don't know. We were practicing, and I just saw you start to fall in front of me after looking a bit wobbly." The other boy bites his lower lip to stop it from trembling. "I almost didn't make it in time to catch you."

 

Nongnong peers at him from his position behind Xiao Gui, his voice quiet, his eyebrows knit together in a worried expression. "You should have told us if you weren't feeling well. No one wants you to be practicing so hard in the condition you're in. Your temp was 38 degrees when we brought you up here."

 

Justin feels his stomach clench uncomfortably.

 

"I didn't want to fall behind."

 

Ziyi gives him a bewildered look. "Fall behind in what?"

 

And the tears start welling up in his eyes before he can stop them. "J-just sometimes it f-feels like no one t-tells me any of the b-bad stuff. And I t-thought it was because you all t-think I'm not responsible enough to h-handle it. So I just wanted to t-try harder."

 

"We don't think that at all." Yanjun's voice is sharp and hard, laced with an edge, causing Zhangjing to elbow him in the side. "Yanjun, stop it. You're going to scare Justin sounding like that. Calm down."

 

"How am I supposed to calm down when we almost had to bring him to the hospital?" Yanjun's voice cracks on the last word, and Justin feels his heart sink when the older boy sniffs loudly, attempting to wipe at his eyes with the back of his hand without being noticed.  _Oh no, Yanjun is worried too._ The thought scares him a little, never having seen the other boy this upset before.

 

"The point is that we're all worried about you." Xukun interjects. "And sometimes..." The older boy pauses, then continuing on in a firm voice. "....we just want to protect you and that's why we don't tell you things. Not because we don't think you're responsible. And not because we think you can't handle it."

 

"It's because we care." Chengcheng's stricken face appears at the edge of the bed, a wet washcloth in his hand. "Because we all love you, Justin."

 

He closes his eyes as Chengcheng folds the washcloth and places it over his forehead, cool to the touch, and the murmurs of all his groupmates fade into silence as he drifts off to the best sleep he's had in weeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> CuriousCat: [@loststickienote](https://curiouscat.me/loststickienote)


	32. Volleyball

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> PERHAPS ONE OF MY FAVORITES SO FAR. AND THE START OF THE JUN^2 TAG? ♡♡♡
> 
> Shameless plug for my other works on here.
> 
> Follow me on Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) for updates, randomness, etc.
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

Yanjun thought Wenjun would be good from the instant he saw the other boy.

 

In fact, he had been sure of it. That first week back at school when he spotted Wenjun walking through the front doors, he had immediately fell in love. Tall, but a bit lanky, the backpack slung awkwardly over one shoulder, the classic deer-in-the-headlights look of a new freshman who didn't know where to go, the maze of hallways overwhelmingly different from the middle school across town. Yanjun still remembers the conversation he had been having with Jeffrey, some asinine argument about how long it takes to boil an egg. Hint: Jeffrey was  _wrong_. And he had looked up just in time to see Wenjun striding in like the answer to his prayers.

 

Wenjun had pointed at himself confusedly when Yanjun motioned him over. "Are you trying to find your way to your first class?" He patted the other boy on the back amicably. "I can help with that."

 

And thus began Yanjun's plan to recruit Wenjun to the volleyball team.

 

It would be his shining moment, his crowning glory, managing to snatch the first year before all the other sports teams could get to him.

 

Or at least it was supposed to be.

 

"Wait, Wenjun, no, don't, stop-" Yanjun glances helplessly at the volleyball as it sails right past him to bounce stubbornly outside the line of fair play. Wenjun calls out an apology from the other side of the court where the taller boy has been attempting to practice serving the ball from for the last half hour. It had not exactly been a successful practice. Yanjun could count on one hand how many of Wenjun's tries had made it on to the court properly. And well, let's just say, Wenjun had tried a lot more than one handful of serves. On the other court, Jeffrey is practicing with the rest of the team as Yanjun had decided to singlehandedly take on the responsibility of teaching Wenjun, their club's only new member this season.

 

"Wenjun, maybe we should take a break for a moment." Yanjun says, turning to re-join the rest of the team.

 

"Yanjun, look out!"

 

And suddenly, he feels a ringing in his ears, a blurriness in his vision, and he is going down, down down in a blaze of unpredicted glory.  _Not exactly what I had in mind for today._ Then everything goes black.

 

When Yanjun wakes up, he thinks he sees an angel, the halo of light encircling Wenjun's head, a worried expression gracing the first year's handsome features, brow furrowed together with anxiety. "Ge, you're awake. I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean to hit you in the head with the ball." And the younger boy is blabbering on, nearly in tears at having  _almost killed you, ge_ , and his head is still so dizzy that the words almost don't register. "I'll quit the team."

 

"No, stay." He manages to croak out.

 

"Are you sure? Why though? I really suck."

 

_Because I like you._

 

"Yes, I'm sure."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> CuriousCat: [@loststickienote](https://curiouscat.me/loststickienote)


	33. Babysitting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> Jk, this is actually one of my favorite drabbles in this series. Please love it as much as I do. ♡
> 
> Shameless plug for my other works on here.
> 
> Follow me on Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) for updates, randomness, etc.
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

When Nongnong told him that he had a fun afternoon planned for them, Chengcheng had something entirely different in mind. Maybe going to a sports game or watching a movie or having a picnic in the park. Not taking Nongnong's two little cousins to the amusement park while they screamed about roller coasters and squirted their juiceboxes at each other with shitty aim leaving him the one soaked with apple juice.

 

Nope, not exactly how he wanted to spend his day off.

 

"Chengcheng-gege, can you win us a prize? Nongnong-gege said you know how to play basketball, and we want the  _that one._ " Thing 1 points to the huge fluffy pink teddy bear, clearly the largest prize available, while Thing 2 looks on and nods for emphasis.  _Also probably the hardest to win._ Chengcheng sighs with exasperation, eyeing the rules for the game, the basket being so close yet so far away at the same time. "Hey, do you want to play or not? If not, can you move away from the area so other people can play?" The grumpy guy behind the booth looks at him skeptically.

 

"Yes, he's playing." Thing 2 declares, looking up at him expectantly, eyes shining bright with false hope, and Chengcheng lets out another sigh with Nongnong offering an apologetic smile, mouthing at him  _I'm sorry._

 

He digs some bills out of his pocket, slapping them down for the man to take, and grabs the first basketball. "So you get five tries, and to win the big prize, you need to get all five baskets."

 

The first ball bounces off the rim, no where close to going in.

 

"Too bad. Do you want to try again?"

 

"I thought you said you were good at basketball? You couldn't even get the first one in." Thing 1 glares at him accusingly. "You suck."

 

Chengcheng makes an effort to not let the annoyance show visibly on his face, gritting his teeth and plastering a smile on for Nongnong's sake. "These games are rigged."

 

And he can tell that Thing 2 is about to argue with him when Nongnong intervenes. "That's enough, Feifei. Chengcheng is doing his best to win you a prize. Say thank you to Chengcheng gege."

 

"But we want the  _big_ prize."

 

Before Nongnong can reprimand her, Chengcheng gives in, turning to the guy manning the booth. "How much for the big prize if I just pay for it?"

 

The man reels off a price, and he peels off a few more bills, regretful at the vastly overpriced purchase.  _Such a rip-off._ He hands the big fluffy teddy bear to Thing 1, the bear almost bigger than him, his face barely seen from behind the bear. "But you didn't win it." The disappointment is evident in Thing 1's voice, and Chengcheng swears he's about to lose it, the overbearing heat combined with the day's events finally getting to him. But Thing 1 turns to Nongnong, holding up the bear so that the taller boy can take it. "Nongnong gege, you said you wanted someone to win you a prize, but me and Feifei aren't good at games, and Chengcheng gege didn't _win_ it." And the little boy's face is scrunched up, looking like he's about to cry as Nongnong sweeps him up into a big hug.

 

"Oh, Haohao, you two were trying to win the prize for me?" Nongnong brightens into a smile. "It's okay. I'm just glad that Chengcheng did his best. And look, he still got us the bear, didn't he? Now remember your manners, and tell Chengcheng gege thank you."

 

Feifei and Haohao's thank yous come in unison. "And I'm sorry that I said you suck." Haohao sticks out his lower lip in a pout. "I didn't mean it. You make Nongnong gege happy so I guess we like you."

 

The blush that appears on Nongnong's cheeks makes him smile, the first real one today.

 

_Maybe the little monsters aren't so bad._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> CuriousCat: [@loststickienote](https://curiouscat.me/loststickienote)


	34. First Kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> In honor of Valentines Day coming up! ♡ Honestly, I love these two, and there should probably be more content for them.
> 
> Shameless plug for my other works on here~~
> 
> Follow me on Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) for updates, randomness, etc.
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

Zhengting is excited for tonight, having meticulously planned out every detail possible, the tablecloth thrown over their kitchen table, the candles lit to bask the room in a soft glow of romantic things to come, the utensils laid out neatly in a perfect line, the white dinner plates waiting for their guests. And he smiles to himself for a job well-done as he looks at the counter-top filled with their three course meal, the product of countless hours of cooking.  _I hope he likes it._ He had decided that they should do Valentine's Day at home this year, saying it would be much more romantic if he cooked.

 

He grins when Chengcheng walks through the door, his eyes widened in surprise at the elaborate set-up, greeted by Zhengting who is still in his apron decorated with teddy bears, the bouquet of long-stemmed red roses cradled in his arms, a box of Zhengting's favorite chocolates in the other hand. Zhengting can't stop himself from squealing unattractively as he quickly snatches the roses out of the other boy's hands, clutching them to his chest in delight. "I love you, Chengcheng. How did you know I wanted roses?"

 

The younger boy rolls his eyes. "It's not like you're  _that_ subtle when you drop hints all week."

 

Zhengting hits the other boy's arm in mock outrage. "Don't you dare accuse me of not being  _subtle_."

 

He squeaks when Chengcheng pulls him into a tight hug, the other boy's arms sneaking around his waist, Chengcheng's mouth pressing kisses into the skin at the base of his neck. "I missed you." Zhengting squirms when the younger boy squeezes harder, until his ribs hurt and he feels like he can't breathe. The moment is fleeting, and Zhengting grumbles as Chengcheng releases him from his vise-like grip. "You give the worst hugs ever. And you saw me literally at lunchtime six hours ago."

 

Chengcheng stares at him seriously. "I miss you every second I'm not with you."

 

Zhengting laughs. "Well, if you miss me so much, give me a kiss."

 

The other boy obliges, and Zhengting closes his eyes blissfully as Chengcheng kisses him, the other boy's hand warm against the back of his neck, his fingers curled slightly into his hair, the other hand wrapped around his waist. He feels the butterflies in his stomach when Chengcheng kisses him, the other boy's lips pressed against his, not too soft, not too hard, but just the perfect amount, leaving him wanting more, Chengcheng's thumb stroking a line over his cheek. And maybe it brings back all the reasons why Zhengting loves him really, because each time they kiss he swears he falls a little more.

 

He sighs in contentment when they finally stop, heart still fluttering. "Out of everyone, you're definitely the best kisser, Chengcheng."

 

"What?" Chengcheng's face is puzzled. "What do you mean?"

 

The other boy's confusion only serve to make him bewildered as well. "Aren't I your first kiss too?"

 

He regrets the laugh that escapes as soon as Chengcheng's expression turns into a pout. "Don't be mad, please."

 

Zhengting kisses the other boy on the lips swiftly.

 

"Chengcheng, you weren't my first kiss, but I definitely want you to be my last."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> CuriousCat: [@loststickienote](https://curiouscat.me/loststickienote)


	35. Mute

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> Wow, is this like one of the ONLY Zhangjun drabbles in here? I can't believe it. :o 
> 
> BTW, ZHANGJING FIC FEST STARTING SOON. LINK TO TWT: [@GrapefruitFF](https://twitter.com/GrapefruitFF)
> 
> Please look forward to more information soon about prompting, author signups, claiming, etc.
> 
> Shameless plug for my other works on here.
> 
> Follow me on Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) for updates, randomness, etc.
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

It takes Yanjun a while to become accustomed to it.

 

He had thought that moving into the college dorms would be a hard transition, not used to having other people around in his personal living space, the prospect of a stranger touching his things an uninviting thought. The first day he arrives is a mess. His parents are late waking him up, he has too much stuff to pack into the car, and there is a crazy amount of traffic. When he unlocks the door, he already sees the other boy already unpacking utensils, bowls, and other kitchenware, placing everything neatly on to their shelves, his back to Yanjun.

 

"Hi, I'm Yanjun."

 

The shorter boy seems startled, whipping around quickly as he approaches, slipping on the titled floor in his socks, and Yanjun just manages to grab the other boy in his arms to prevent him from falling. The other boy stares up at him with widened doe-looking eyes, his bangs falling over his face messily, mouth gaping wide open. "Are you okay?" He asks concernedly. "I didn't mean to scare you."

 

The other boy points to his throat, motioning with his hands, and shaking his head. "I'm sorry?"

 

It takes a few full minutes for Yanjun to realize.

 

_He's mute._

 

It takes Yanjun a while to get used to the silence.

 

The other boy's name is Zhangjing, a surgery robbing him of his voice a few years back as Yanjun learns, and it's Zhangjing's dream to be a music teacher, apparently having been a singer before losing his voice. Yanjun doesn't have the heart to tell him it's probably a stupid idea to teach music if he can't even speak. The first few weeks are the most difficult for Yanjun with most of their communication coming in the form of colored sticky notes, Zhangjing's neat handwriting punctuated by a smiley face, the crumpled paper filling his wastebasket with a rainbow of color.

 

Even a few months in, he has a hard time. Though Zhangjing can hear and understand everything from Yanjun, it takes too long to respond, a mixture of hand waving and attempted sign language added on to the writing. Sometimes he can't help but complain to his friends about all the awkward silences between them, and the guilt eats him alive. He knows it's not Zhangjing's fault, but he never knows what to say when the other boy looks at him with his bright smile, the silence stretching out longer until Yanjun can't take it anymore and runs off to hide in his room.

 

Today, Yanjun hears the sound of a piano when he wakes up, and he finds Zhangjing playing in their living room on a keyboard, one that hadn't been there yesterday. He listens for a bit before tapping the other boy on the shoulder, sitting down next to Zhangjing on the bench. "I didn't know you played the piano."

 

Zhangjing nods at him before turning back to his music. The notes flow out in a beautiful melody, and Yanjun studies the markings on the sheet music, everything handwritten, lyrics above each line. "Did you write this?" The other boy nods again, and Yanjun watches as Zhangjing's fingers move over the keys.

 

It surprises both of them when he starts to sing, voice somewhat shaky and not quite in tune, following along with the words written on the sheet.

 

When the song ends, there is silence between them, but instead of feeling empty, the silence fills him with a quiet contentment. "This is really good, Zhangjing." The other boy smiles at him gratefully, mouthing a thank you, and for the first time, Yanjun notices just how cute Zhangjing's smile is. His next words come out awkwardly, unsure. "I'd really love to hear more of your stuff sometime, Zhangjing." The other boy nods enthusiastically, and Yanjun leaves to head back to his room as Zhangjing digs out other sheet music to practice.

 

He lies back down on his bed, letting the sound of music wash over him as he stares up at the ceiling. After a few minutes, he grabs his phone off his bedside table, punching in a few search words.

 

_Learning Sign Language._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> CuriousCat: [@loststickienote](https://curiouscat.me/loststickienote)


	36. Midnight Sky

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> I am perhaps in love with this one. Melancholy vibes. ♡
> 
> Shameless plug for my other works on here.
> 
> Follow me on Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) for updates, randomness, etc.
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

The first time Nongnong goes to the roof it's because he can't fall asleep, the adrenaline from the night of debut still pumping in his veins, taking hold of his racing thoughts, and he ends up wandering around aimlessly, his legs leading him up the stairs and outside. The sky is a dark obsidian with little pinpricks of light splashed on to the canvas haphazardly, the moon just a sliver showing like a carved out sideways smile. There is barely enough moonlight, just enough to make out the bars of the guardrail. And he is so preoccupied with looking upwards that he nearly falls down upon hearing the voice coming out from no where.

 

"Yo."

 

Nongnong does a quick side-step to avoid stepping on the other boy accidentally who is lying down on the ground, hands behind his head in a makeshift pillow staring up at the sky. "Thanks for not crushing me Nongnong." Xiao Gui's voice is half-choked with laughter. "I really appreciate it."

 

"What are you doing here?" Nongnong replies dumbly, the words coming out before he can stop them.

 

"Couldn't sleep." The other boy doesn't offer much more explanation than that, instead choosing to pat the patch of ground beside him in an invitation for Nongnong to join.

 

So he does.

 

The second time Nongnong goes up to the roof, it's because Xiao Gui sends him a text, the notification from his phone waking him up in the middle of the night, his sleep-fogged brain almost not processing the time having gotten so little sleep the past week after their album release. It's a simple message, just  _Roof?_ and after a split second of thinking, Nongnong starts throwing on some clothes to head out into the chilly winter night. He finds the other boy sitting this time, his knees pulled up to his chest, arms wrapped tight, and Nongnong joins him.

 

"Do you ever think about how the world is so big, and maybe us being together for this time as Nine Percent is really only a blip in the context of the rest of our lives?"

 

The question makes his chest tighten, and suddenly he feels hollow inside.

 

"No, we don't have to let it." Nongnong pauses. "Be  _just_ a blip, I mean."

 

He can only see Xiao Gui's bright eyes staring back at him in the darkness, the reflections of stars dancing in his gaze. The other boy's hand reaches out for his, and Nongnong lets his fingers intertwine with Xiao Gui's as they both stay longer to stare at the moon, almost a full one, a round white dinner plate in the sky.

 

He doesn't let go until they leave.

 

The third time is the night of their farewell party, and Xiao Gui doesn't even need to ask, the two of them giving each other a secret glance at the end of the day before walking off stage. All Nongnong sees when he gets there is the other boy's back, ramrod straight, head tilted upwards. Xiao Gui's arm slips comfortably around his waist as he approaches, and he pulls the other boy in closer, his arm slung over Xiao Gui's shoulder.

 

They stay there hugging each other the entire night, a half moon hanging in the darkened sky by a thread, about ready to tip over.

 

_Half full, not empty._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> CuriousCat: [@loststickienote](https://curiouscat.me/loststickienote)


	37. Perfect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Filled request.
> 
> Ahhhhh, not 100% satisfied with this one, but I did my best. T.T Sorry for any mistakes, forgive me.
> 
> Shameless plug for my other works on here~~
> 
> Follow me on Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) for updates, randomness, etc.
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!

A perfect moment.

 

Yanjun looks down at the photograph of the three of them, Nongnong in the middle with his widened smile and half-moon eyes, the only one looking straight at the camera, Xukun with his one eyebrow raised, his hand on his chin in a thinking position, head tilted slightly, and him with his head thrown back in laughter at the completely wrong moment, the movement making him come out blurry.

 

He remembers that day well.

 

Xukun hadn't been happy that day, angry with Yanjun for downing too many drinks too quickly at the bar. But Yanjun swears up-and-down to this day that he hadn't, really only consuming his normal number of drinks yet somehow getting sloppy drunk far too soon. Maybe it was the prospect of seeing his two favorite people together for the first time in months, an all-consuming schedule plaguing the three of them, with their last time all being in the same room far too long ago. But he had felt  _good_ , throwing his arms around both Nongnong and Xukun to wrap them up in a hug when they both walked through the door.

 

And he hadn't cared in the least that Xukun was glaring at him from across the table as they ate, a booth hidden away in the back out of sight, as he planted kisses all over Nongnong's cheek. "Okay, okay, Yanjun. You're happy to see us, I get it." He had even tried to placate the third boy, his hand reaching across the table to grab Xukun's, letting out a cry of protest when the other boy shrinks away, not letting Yanjun hold his hand.

 

"Seriously Yanjun?" Xukun's annoyance was written all over his face. "Get it together."

 

"Okay, let's not fight." Nongnong pleaded. "Yanjun's just happy, Kunkun."

 

_Nongnong, always the mediator._

 

Xukun's face had softened into a reluctant smile, begrudgingly apologizing to Yanjun. "Sorry, Yanjun. I've just had a rough day."

 

The youngest clapped his hands together. "Anyways, it's been so long that I feel like we need to commemorate this moment."

 

Nongnong had dragged them both over to the photobooth, squeezing them tightly in next to him.

 

The three of them, together captured in one frame.

 

Yanjun smiles at the memory, slipping the picture back into his wallet, the edges worn down over time.

 

"Yanjun? Are you coming?" Xukun's voice startles him out of his thoughts, the two boys at the door to their apartment, Nongnong slipping on his shoes, Xukun waiting patiently next to him, twirling the car keys around his finger, ready to go out to dinner for Nongnong's birthday.

 

"Of course."

 

So maybe they weren't perfect all the time, the snapshot not telling the whole story.

 

But this imperfect love is still everything he wants.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> CuriousCat: [@loststickienote](https://curiouscat.me/loststickienote)


	38. Notice with UPDATES [Please read]

Hi everyone!

 

It's been quite a journey since I started this drabble series, and just wanted to say thank you to everyone's who has read or requested a drabble thus far. A few announcements to get out of the way:

 

1) Please leave drabble requests moving forward on this "Notice with UPDATES" chapter. As a reminder, to request, comment with the pairing you want and a key word for inspiration. For example, Nongnong x Xukun, chocolate. Keeping all requests in the same place will make it easier for me.

 

2) As some of you probably know, the second season of Idol Producer aka Qing Chun You Ni has already started to air. I will be adding QCYN requests on to this drabble series also. Forewarning: Since this show is still currently airing, I do not have a good grasp of all the contestants' personalities yet. This means that any people requested in pairings that I do not know well will be pushed to the back of the queue. (I usually try to write the drabbles in the order they were requested.) These will all still be written eventually.

 

3) Rate of updates. I am going to attempt to go back to keeping up with these drabbles instead of waiting to complete them all in one huge chunk at a time. In other words, I am going to try to have a turnaround of 2-3 weeks in order to keep on top of them. If I am running behind, please know that it is due to my schedule and have patience with me.

 

Much love,

stickie ♡


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